Leaderboard

When DCI started after the '71 season and the Rules Congress's that immediately followed, the number 128 was agreed upon at the intervention of and plea of Bob Holton, at that time the director of the then St. Andrew's CYO Bridgemen of Bayonne, NJ. (At that time the St. Andrew's Bridgemen wore cadet-style white jackets and shako, gold trim, and black pants.) The idea of the Congress was to maintain a clear but full marching, manuvering, and musical activity in which as many kids as possible could participate. At the time, the usual corps was much smaller but Bob said his corps actually had two hundred members if he did not audition and place limits on participation. Don Warren, Jim Jones, Rick Maas (a judge from the Central States Judging Association) and various corps directors debated the point for a half hour. At that time, insurance also required adult supervision (read adult chaperones) on each bus of minors. Bob Holton showed that in 3 buses with chaperones and mms, 128 mms could be accomodated. The drill writers liked the number because of the way it could be subdivided evenly. The vote in favor was almost unanimous with some objection from a few smaller corps who have since faded away from my memory. I was present for this meeting and for the subcommittee, full committee, and voting sessions for the first five congresses; I voted in favor of the motion.

Excellent point. For Minnesota corps, it costs us about $9K per charter bus (yes, per bus -- not total) to transport the corps members plus additional expenses of getting the trailer and equipment moved. Because it's more than a 10 hour drive, we end up requiring multiple bus drivers and multiple CDL drivers for the equipment. For finals, the members had to get on the bus on Wednesday evening, travel for 18-20 hours so that we can have one day to rest and prepare for finals. Also add into the mix for about $7K per bus for hotels and you can quickly eat up your budget for the entire year for just one trip. We were enduring the cost of this every year to attend finals because the high cost was still worth the member experience even though there was no guarantee that you might get to play both days. However, High Schools and Colleges are now starting earlier and earlier each year which meant that college kids usually missed the last two weeks of rehearsals plus we had to make special transportation arrangements just to get them to finals from their college as well as take them out of class. We then had to ask parents to allow their kids to miss at least two days at the beginning of the school year. To complicate the matter even more, high school band programs are now starting in August (or sooner). Band directors are somewhat willing to "share" their kids during the summer but asking for them over labor day conflicts with football and marching band and is a total deal breaker. By losing high school and college members, both corps had membership literally cut in half. When your corps is half the size it needs to be, it degrades your ability to seriously compete, entertain, recruit and made it less enjoyable for the members who actually stayed. I would say that when you factor in the transportation cost for finals is now cut in half, you again can recruit in high schools and colleges, you don't have to yank kids out of school, your show is now about 6 minutes which means that you can better incorporate members with medical issues, you can put a show together with 1/3 less rehearsals (which cuts rehearsal costs), and still give the members the same positive experience, why wouldn't you? I'm an alumni of both MN corps but not an official spokesman so this is my own personal $.02. With the current DCA arrangement, Sound Sport is the only path to guarantee Chops and MN Brass financial and academic survival as a drum corps. Sadly, I do not foresee either corps ever returning to DCA without some major scheduling changes. Maybe Sound Sport isn't as glamorous as regular drum corps but I can personally tell you that the members from both corps had a very positive experience in Indianapolis taking 2nd and 4th place and feeling that they satisfied their own personal goals. Most of our kids went to prelims to see the "real" DCI corps or they spent the evening "lotting" and had the experience of their lifetime. Yes, we also worked hard this summer, sweated in the hot sun, got sunburned, twisted ankles, got called out for missing a dot, told that we were too loud, and everything that came with being a regular drum corps but it was still fun and well worth the time as a performer and a music educator. Some people in the east coast wonder why Chops and MN Brass opted for Sound Sport, this is why.

The sheets used on the priority list of issues DCA needs to address is so far down the list, that people discussing it is staggering. championship venues near where corps are is a must. getting a fan base we’ll under 50 is a must marketing period is top 3 championship event weekend is top 3. Getting the voting membership to agree to many big changes for their own good is top 3. what sheets they use is top 500000000000000000

If this is overall, and not just finals: Bluecoats - Just the complete package. I adore this show! 2017 Bluecoats will still get more listens from me, but this is my most listened to show this year by a lot! Blue Knights - This show I probably connect the most with this year out of any show. I just absolutely love it musically. Visually, some nice ideas, but that's the biggest BK issue for me. The drumline waves in the beginning really just draw me in more than almost any show feature has - then that brass just SLAPS you. The ballad... perfect, and easily my favorite part of the show (and possibly of any show this year). Just so much emotion. BK puts out something so unique, so special. Every single year. Please never change! Cavaliers - As with BD, this is my favorite Cavies show since 2008. I even enjoyed it more than 2010's Mad World. I love this show so much, and I love having the Cavies fight back like this! Plus... that brass! Spartans - HELLO! Someone had referred to this show as "Bluecoats Lite" and I want to agree, while not taking away from this design team in the slightest. It worked. It simply worked, felt great, and the ballad was fantastic for me! Great job to the wonderful members for the fantastic show they put out! I hope this design team sticks around for a long time to come, and I'm excited to see where this corps goes going forward! Carolina Crown - Last year did nothing for me, but this year felt so much better. There were tiny things that I didn't enjoy about this show though. The opener is great at the start. But, compared to the original version, towards the end of the opener it feels a bit too "Disney" to me. Ballad is amazing, and I love it in the moment, but I forget it for some reason as soon as I finish listening to it. Closer hits hard and doesn't let go! Blue Devils - This is my favorite BD show since 2008! So much to like about it! Pacific Crest - Please keep on this path! I really hope to see you guys break into finals in the next couple of years! Blue Stars - The ballad is one of my favorite moments this year, but the rest of the show just doesn't connect with me. Phantom Regiment - I'm so happy this show developed so well! Rough start of the season, then it built into what has been my favorite PR show since 2011/2012! Boston Crusaders - Opener is great to me, then is just fizzles out a bit. It's hard to pinpoint what I don't like about it. I don't hate it, but don't love it. The Academy - Some flashes of greatness, and I think this can be a great platform in growing for next year. SCV - I loved SCV last year, and I love them most years, but this year just didn't connect with me at all.

I agree 100%. My Wife and I both wondered why all the angst, anger and snarling with members crawling around like animals making angry wierd looking faces? Everyone looks pi55ed off. I will have another order of The Bluecoats please. The activity needs more smiles, positivity, and harmony.

Oh for crying out loud why do you even go there. You have absolutely no clue how WP approaches writing music.

I once saw a musical in previews in New York; a musical that never opened, and that was never at the mercy of reviewers. In fact, watching it play out was fascinating. My seat was on the back row of the section of seats closest to the stage. There was an aisle right behind the seats. Two of the shows' producers stood right behind me for the entire production, talking (yeah, just like sitting too close to drum corps judges) about its merits (or lack thereof), and its potential to make money and become a success. It closed three nights later. But that's not the story behind "Nick and Nora," a musical adaptation of the noir detective series. This was a show with every known pedigree: both lead stars were award-winners, as were the writers, composer ... down the line ... to the producers. It was a lousy show; poorly staged, forgettable songs, bad pacing. But there was this one little written wrinkle that was genuinely funny: a single actor, in this case a woman, played every murder victim in the show. She was shot, stabbed, and strangled, to increasingly hysterical effect as the play wore on. Everyone associated with "Nick and Nora" went looking for new gigs, but it was the luck of the "dead woman" that will always stand out. I saw her, one year later, in her Tony Award-winning performance as Miss Adelaide in the revival of "Guys and Dolls." Faith Prince. Thank goodness for her that "Nick and Nora" -- I have forever called the production "Dick and Dora" -- turned into "Guys and Dolls" Something had to change. __________ Crossmen's finalist run origins and Spirit's three-peat notwithstanding, this is perhaps as relevant a question to pose right now as any other placement. This decade is a perfect example of what can, and does, happen to Saturday night's opening act. And the aftermath; when something has to change. Boston Crusaders' 2016 "Quixotic" was an abject mess of breezeless, inert windmills and a show that aimed for little, no unreachable star, it seemed at the season opening contest. Wholesale rewrites, a nod to "Conquest", an Audible book full of narration, and the chameleon nature of the malleable performers kept the show, and Boston, in finals. By a mere breeze. Its aftermath is the current model for sudden success and relevance in the upper echelons: an infusion of money, which leadership had been growing and stockpiling, made it possible for the organization to lure the just-crowned visual and color guard caption winner designers to a new Massachusetts home. In a single season, the Crusade reached the top six star, instantly becoming a drum corps Goliath. The following year, Madison's Scouts embraced every current design model with "The Last Man Standing," shaved heads and all. It was no Scout outing that anyone had ever seen, much less its apparently angst-ridden alumni and rabid supporters. But the corps was in finals, and was competing with the same metrics as every other corps. Whew ... it will be great to see a modern day Madison model, lots of us thought -- and hoped. Its aftermath became a confounding conundrum, too much current competitive bad cholesterol that caused cardiac arrest in the very masculine chest of the corps. "Too much" ... name the idiom other than drum corps that was leveled. Something must be done to get the venerable Scouts back in the Top 6! Maybe if the corps had played Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time" this year, that "something" might have worked. Heaven knows the performers gave it their all! So, as show titles would have it, "The Last Man Standing" was Madison's last Saturday night performance as its six decades-long brand. May the full infusion of women into its DNA, help propel this all-time drum corps favorite back to its majestic perch. And finally, this year's Phantom Regiment. "I Am Joan" was an abject mess of inert, homemade looking props and a show that aimed for costume changes and a crowd call-and-chant. Even a fantasy of finals was dashed, it seemed at the season opening contest. Wholesale rewrites and edits, along with the chameleon nature of the malleable performers not only kept the show, and Phantom, in finals, but endeared fans for "what they overcame." (A tacit "I Am Joan".) So here we all are again, wondering what the organization has the ability (resources), will (staff changes), and desire (upward competitive movement) to make happen for 2020. Don't claim recruiting woes: the same type and caliber of performers were in both 2018 and 2019's Pacific Crest. In a comment that has probably outlived its usability, "If there had only been one more week in the season," the crest of momentum just might have been from the west coast, just might have sent "Joan" home before Saturday night. Performers rise. They want to excel. They want immediate adulation from the crowd and judges adulation from the sheets. Seems to me, in the case of our fine founding DCI corps Scouts and Regiment, the question for 2020 competitive relevance is: Will the adult leadership rise to the level of their performers? I always hope so.

All solid shows, but I chose Crossmen 2012 because it marked the start of their series of Finals appearances this decade while also being just a great show from start to finish.

Yet another thread just opened regarding the fear of DCI adding woodwinds. But it seems to me that the more immediate concern should be over drum corps being significantly affected by a move away from show designs that focus on music and movement and toward shows designed around the color guard and WGI-type themes. You need only look as far as Blue Devils 2009 for an example of this as a trend that show designers are taking and, more significantly, that judges are rewarding. And with judges rewarding this design style, it won’t be long before many other corps follow suit and, as a result, change the face of drum corps forever. And if finals remain in Lucan Oil Stadium (with its crappy sight lines and disturbing echo), corps will have even more reason to play/march less and act, pose, do gynmastics, move chairs, etc. more. So while everyone is so worried about woodwinds, drum corps is changing significantly right under our noses and few seem to be saying or doing anything about it.

No, the next corps in line moves up.

DCA wasn't to blame for Westshore. They imploded regardless of what DCA did or did not do because of internal malfeasance and an understandable failure to recover afterwards. The Grennies also imploded from what appeared to a refusal to accept they needed to make some changes in approach in how they performed to make finals. The Brigs imploded regardless of what DCA did or did not do because of finances. I'll go there and say the Renegades kneecapped themselves, then blew themselves up in Klingonese glory. The Kilties' issues have nothing to do with DCA, more about certain rather poor and foolish decisions now likely coming home to roost upon them in a big way. The Crusaders lost their leased horns in an act of theft/vandalism and had no backup plan or reserve money to cover the sudden, major loss. Y-R failed because of Hamilton Post's racism. The rebuild afterwards just didn't have the necessary underpinnings to be sustained and viable. Empire also ran out of money. The Chieftains appeared to be unsustainable for the long term as well. DCA as an organization... as a whole... did nothing to cause any of these failures. These organizations in certain cases, basically committed organizational suicide. DCA's not to blame. I'll throw in the Altoona Mainliners as another group who simply didn't develop the financial infrastructure to survive. I'll throw in Heartliner, too. Wasn't DCE's or DCA's fault some cat made a fatal mistake and blew himself up while working on a gas line in Ludwigshafen and immolated himself and most of a city block which included their rehearsal facility and all of their equipment. Heatwave, Alliance, Matadors, any of the Quebec corps....Generations, Steel City...all the others from Texas and down South, High Country brass (I'll throw that one in) I won't throw in that category because I don't know all of the particulars, though most Quebec corps suffered from various factors that caused their demises that had little to do with DCA per se- L'Odysee were basically the Crusaders and Les Cascadeurs were the Phoenix, for example. The only way DCA could have saved most of the corps in the first list... was if it were some kind of monolithic Daddy Warbucks that could have helped to sustain and keep those organizations running through huge financial bail-outs, and that's not what it's supposed to be. If I stepped on some toes and made some people uneasy about the whys... so be it, but I refuse to make some simplistic connection and blame a group for things that are not their fault at all even if I may not always agree with how things are. That's rather unfair.

Would be great for Brandon to stay active within the organization in some capacity.

Ft. Mill wouldn't let Rosemont have the tarp of a green painted Crown; and DCI wouldn't let the Cavies have a tarp portrait of the Old Man smoking his trademark cigar.

So. Which one was your favorite?

do you mean the lines at "the facilities" during those 17 minute LOS intermissions?

I just remembered this...in 1981 right before taking the field at finals everyone in the Scouts was given a small cup of champagne and Scott Stewart made a toast to the corps...and then we sang MYNWA. I'll never forget it.

ATL CONFIDENTIAL. Not close on this one.

With the shift in emphases in movement and musical styles during recent seasons, new ways of expression are required to assist the communication on the adjudication tapes and competitive critique comments to align these with the new realities. In fact so much of the current vocabulary of assessment and evaluation pre-date DCI’s beginnings in 1972 of the previous century; their continued use may tinge the roster of 136 DCI judges (https://www.frontensemble.com/judges) as dated and even stodgy to the new mms, designers and faculty hip on moving past traditions and military-based manners to these new realities of field performance. These newer terms are derived from other sciences or as DCI terms them, Strategic Partners in the activity. To prepare for 2020 and beyond, to ready one’s self for the future Rules Congress discussions, and to appear erudite, relevant, and astute to the hordes at marching band and winter indoor contests before the next DCI season, now is not too soon to consider and integrate these new judging terms into one’s everyday conversations. DCP posters, Reddit roosters, and dinosaurs of all eras wishing themselves to appear current, contemporary, intellectual and aware would best approach the new language skills as if tackling SAT’s, ACT’s, GRE’s or M-Cats. Here are a few to trial. Certainly there will be more. 1. Ecdysis refers to the constant change of garb by mms during performance shedding one set of clothing (whether deemed uniform or costume) much like a snake sloughing its skin. Similar to the advent of the constant change of flash flags by guards in the 1980’s and after, corps in the Cesario-Carlson era/error molt their vesture as if the audience has A.D.D. and grows weary of viewing the same wears every few steps. The Strippers of Atlanta did this no less than 3X during their 2019 performance while many other corps such as Colts and Jersey Surf appeared to change only twice. Interestingly, SCV, Crown. Bloo, BAC and Cavaliers did not succumb to ecdysis which may account to their higher placements; the Allentown unit reverted to dysecdysis as the season progressed and disregarded the shedding which marked their early contests. Certainly there are some who believe that a Berry or Miller outfit should never molt. 2. Tonic immobility as a visual term refers to the paralysis of movement (oft termed Staging) as opposed to the free-flowing of formations and drill. It replaces the BITD terms of “Park and Play” and “Park and Bark.” When the term is used musically, it would refer to each musical arrangement sounding like all the others the unit performs. 3. Thanatosis is a term relating to “playing dead” (think Will Pitts ending Regiment’s ‘08 Spartacus and his age-out performance.) Thanatosis may also refer to the groveling on the ground and inability to stand on one’s feet which marks many of the “acting” efforts of today’s units. Obsequies often follow particularly when championship scores are announced. This is not always good. 4. Sisyphean task connotes the endless pushing of props across the field particularly when done by musicians to hide that they are not playing their instruments while the props are moved. Like Sisyphus these efforts may be relentless but mark the hubris of the designer, not that of the marching member who would prefer to be a musician. The adjudicator and audience is to be distracted by the transit of the prop, a fete the front ensemble has mastered and excelled before and after every practice and performance. However, the front ensemble cannot be everywhere. 5. Urban vistas refers to the cluttering of the green fields with tarps and props such that the grass and turf no longer is considered venerable green spaces for the environment but, like the cement cities of the metropolis, are doted with columns, buildings, faux-mountains, and other constructed objects hindering the natural view. Like builders fitting as many buildings on postage stamp lots as possible, bigger is not always better. Beware if your designer lives in a city and has never seen a panorama not suitable for cementing or camouflaging. 6. Sonic filigree are those amazing exercises of masterful technique inserted into the score of a nice melody or lyrical piece to show off the talent and skill a horn line, arranger, battery or front ensemble wish you to acknowledge no matter whether the beauty of the piece is interrupted or disrupted. Sonic filigree is not necessary to the piece but sometimes is more memorable. When this is done electronically, it is known as white noise. 7. Stationary front is similar to its cousin in meteorology: that is something that is stuck in place. Most often it will refer to a horn line caught in tonic immobility. *** These are the terms I have eked out of the Task Force so far. What others might you have learned???

Super excited for 2020. We've put together a GREAT brass staff and a GREAT visual staff. Everybody's coming home.

Completely wrong on the eight. I was confused by who is in control. I thought that you were referring to the admin. Not the member corps. Every one of the eight is from outside of the NE except one. Three of the eight are not competing in DCA this year. One corps has not competed in DCA for two seasons.

The member corps are the "board" of DCA, the executive committee works for the DCA board, the DCA is under control of the corps. The member corps are the 10 highest scoring corps in PRELIMS regardless of what class they are in. I was a DCA director for over 27 years, I helped write most of these rules.

I am excited to see how The Cavaliers, and everyone, can build from their recent success. I am actually still buzzing off of the 2019 season. What a fantastic season.

That's pretty bold with SCV in 5th. But who knows? You might be right. In general I do not see much changing with the top 6. Perhaps Blue Knights can make a charge, or maybe Blue Stars or Cadets, but it seems unlikely to me. The Cadets have other things that are, frankly, more important to take deal with. I just want to see them healthy, but would like to see a fun show with Cadets-like demand in drill and music. Who cares if it's old school, it's a place to start for now. Obviously, I would like to see the Bluecoats get their 2nd World Championship. I feel they have been extraordinary over the past 6 years. Within the top 6 we may see some movement, but since all those corps are outstanding, a little movement will not surprise me. I'm probably more interested in placements at 7th and down. We've seen Mandarins make some waves, Pacific Crest too. Blue Knights continue to be great. Can Phantom Regiment continue the tremendous growth they showed with this year's production? Can Crossmen push up to 7th? I've long felt they were capable. Spirit of Atlanta is another on the cusp of being top 12 or better. Would love to see Academy back in, or to see Troopers mount a charge. I'm very excited to see what Jersey Surf explores next. Their show this past summer was one of my favorites.

We stop this most excellent thread for a Public Service Announcement: Congratulations to the OP for a succinct, timely, and relatable thread to which all can contribute in a positive way. Hopefully the designers are listening and not staring at their own navels. Now back to "Stop, "Start, "Change."

You will find the guiding leadership for DCI listed somewhere in here: https://www.dci.org/static/corporatepartners.

My vote goes to Madison 2017. I found that show to be very different and entertaining. HMs for Fragile and ATL

Definitely Crossmen 2012

Some great memories of Midwest tour in 98 with Scouts and the alumni cars lines up with car trunks full of booze for those of us legal to partake. We'd be relaxing and drinking after a show while others were doing basic blocks.

Jim Ott was known to buy a few cases of beer for his horn line occasionally when we (Spirit) had an off-night on tour. He would give each of us who were 18 or older two beers at the end of rehearsal - and only two. There were only a couple of folks who were under 18, as I recall. Oh, and Jim loved Coors beer (not Coors Light, but the gold can), and it wasn't available east of the Mississippi back then, so these horn line beer gifts didn't commence until we crossed the Mississippi.

Through all of the changes, one thing is clear about DCI - today, 10 years ago, and 30 years ago when I fell in love with it... DCI is the best of the best of marching music. Even BOA grand nationals look like a video played at 1/2 speed in comparison. It is phenomenal what these kids and young adults are doing in DCI. It is shocking how good these corps sound today. Keep it going for the next 10 and I’ll be happy.

I think corps need to start getting more abstract with their show designs. When every show is super literal or story driven it just gets cliche. I think that’s where the Bluecoats have excelled recently, especially with shows like Downside Up and Kinetic Noise. Those shows don’t have characters or stories, but they aren’t completely random either. They have meaning without having to rely on that meaning, which can’t really be said about most of the top 12 the past few years.

I'm just excited to see which white-colored prop the hornline and drums get to take off and fold some part of their uniform on next year. That's always the best part of Blue Devils shows, the dressing room section. Will it be Ladders, Chairs, saw-horses, or actual clothing racks...

Stop 🛑: utterly inappropriate DUT-ing during soft or transitional music moments. You’ve got 3-5 DMs all over the place...perhaps multiple Sanfords back at the corps hall...when did subdividing QUARTER notes (!) in your head become a lost art? Change: Use cowbells attached to the battery in lieu of DUT-ing. If the snares & tenors “have” to DUT, let’s commit to it and get it out there. Imagine a corps playing the “Generic Love Theme” from Star Trek: The Original Series (you know, the 8-note phrase played by a lyrical flute whenever a love interest is in a filtered shot) when tinktinktink!!! kicks in. That’s some solid GE right there. Start: ...having all corps wear their corps’ heritage uniform at retreat like Cavies did.

https://bluedevils.org/programs/a-corps/about/https://bluedevils.org/programs/a-corps/about/ The photo in the upper right corner might offer a little perspective. There was no silver spoon. Their success has been earned, not gifted, just like all the other corps on the field these days.

Here's hoping no on BD's staff visits the wrong kind of massage parlor.

1978 Boulder Prelims is the first time many in the drum line actually saw what the overall drill looked like upstairs. Pete Emmons who designed the drill had videotaped the show on high cam and showed it to us before Finals. He of course was in the broadcast booth for Finals at Mile High Stadium. Always loved the opener “Overture to a New Era” by Giovannini both in 77 and 78.

Really sad we won't get to see Brandon perform anymore. Seems like it was just yesterday he burst onto the scene in 2010 when he shocked SCOJO and the world learning BDs music off the internet. I wish him nothing but the best in all his future endeavors. Who knows, maybe he will be SCOJO's successor someday.

Blue Knights I have not swooned over a show in too long. Sumptuous. The Cavaliers So on-brand. The Blue Devils/Coats The Champions! Pacific Crest I love an out-of-nowhere hit. Theme from "Chinatown" was cinematic magic. Spartans Thrilling. But that opening ... WOW! Troopers The rebrand/reboot and music to back it up bodes nicely. Jersey Surf Lovely. Design and execution.

I want to say thank you to the Blue Devils organization. Over the past several years, it has been my privilege to host the corps. Yesterday, while my daughter was out in San Francisco, she ran into someone affiliated with the organization. After a brief conversation, this person realized she was my daughter and bought her lunch in thanks for my hosting the corps. Even outside the season, the corps always represents with the class that is Blue Devils.

bass drops at every major phrase ending

How ‘bout .. . Go With the Flo ! Any of our Finalist Corps does their usual outstanding performance but, half-way through, STOPS abruptly and walks off the field. Leaving the entire audience screaming and shaking their fists !

Stop: feeling like you must have stages,, winterguard uniforms, trombones, sousaphones, no hats, overkill electronics to be competitive (then again, it feels like GE is being scored more for this "stuff" than actual content or even sometimes use of it so?) Start: having difficult drill while playing (thank you to some corps this year for still doing that) and go back to some type of corps identity Change: judging - if electronic balance is bad or has issues, why does this not impact the music or GE scores? I have other things in mind too (possible split up of World Class into 2 division types... more traditional v/s anything goes...aka summer BOA/WGI which is where it's going... but I'll stop there

Ya! Let's go back to color guard doing nothing but drop spins. It's oh so entertaining. If you don't like guard integration, might I suggest getting your music heavy fix from a symphony, jazz group, or rock show.

You sir, or madam, win the grand prize. I've been thinking the same thing for some time, but just haven't had the energy to participate in the debate that is sure to follow.

With corps getting younger and school year starting earlier..... what are pros and cons of having DCA Weekend one week earlier...

If you truly wanted to level the playing field they would start doing a spending cap and don't allow access to judges in the off season. BD knows how to play the game.

It is a starting point. And it's shown some success. I'll admit that. Do I feel it's somewhat apples to oranges...yes. It doesn't make it bad or invalidate the product at all. I'm certainly not opposed to DCI or to Soundsport. I do, however contend that DCI has done very little to move the activity forward regarding the topic that I was discussing which is to broaden the base level. Their PR is pretty poor and advertising the activity to the masses to get butts in seats has been negligeable. DCA for their part has done less. Do I know how do fix it? Absolutely not. Do I bash DCI and corps on a regular basis? No I don't. Am I howling at the moon about the demise of the activity? Nope. (And for the record I don't believe that to be the goal of the OP's original thread) I believe that DCA will still be around in 5 years. I also believe that maybe...just maybe...DCI and DCA should be part of the same governing body. DCI has access to staff and revenue that DCA doesn't. I think both organizations care significantly for their members and the product which we see. So how do they/we move it forward?

Here is my Drum Corps World review of the August 5th Tour of Champions Akron Drum Corps International World Class competition. http://www.gaminnet.info/?p=5879

1. BK -- Our son is a mellophone ageout, so, after 4 years in DCI and 3 with BK, this show connected on all kinds of "I Remember Everything" levels. It's only natural this would be our favorite of the year and that, as the corps resolved into the BK dots and "were, at last . . . home," we'd be choking back tears. More objectively, as one of the GE judges said on tape, BK brings something completely unique to the activity, something that connects on a wavelength that no other corps generates. For all the reasons others have so amply expressed throughout the season on this forum, Blue Knights was the standout from a pure enjoyment/emotional-connection level. Few 2019 corps even approached BK's level of communication clarity . . . 2. . . . and BD was one of them. I started the season cool to this show. Early on, it came across to me as bloodless and clinical. By the time I saw it live at LOS, I was happily proved wrong. They might not have executed visual forms to the same degree as Crown or Blue Stars, but the member-to-member visual quality of their set-pieces was superior to anything else on the field. These were musicians who could, to a person, dance. The extended swirl of the horn line around the ghostlight in the opener was a masterpiece, something that I have replayed in my mind many times in the past few days. It was the most stunning visual moment on the field this year. Musically, it was all fabulous, though only the closer really reached me emotionally. The tap/percussion feature was a hoot to watch, and I agree BD's props were the most effective of anyone's. I thought they deserved the win. 3. Crown. The energy from beginning to end was compelling. Soloists were majestic. The snares leaning back in front of the brass during the ballad's big hit was a pure drum-corps thing, and I like drum-corps things in my drum corps. The closer was a complete gas. I will listen to this show a lot. 4. Cavaliers. Road to Perdition alone would put it on this list of personal-anjoyment faves, but the gentlemen performed this entire show with such passion that I can't leave them off. They made their mark on me. 5. Bluecoats. Just the overal design aesthetic makes it a favorite of the season. Musically, it was all about Blackbird for me. 6. Crossmen. I loved how the show blended raw horsepower with tongue-in-cheek cartoonishness. So many years, Xmen are solid yet indistinct. Not in 2019. Can't forget that drum major. 7. Troopers. The show design didn't set DCI on fire, but it did set the stage for Troopers' continued relevance and, as a corollary, their competitive advance. 2019 was a watershed year for Troop, moreso internally to the members, admin and Troop nation than to the fans in the stands, and a number of necessary internal cogs snapped into place this year. It was memorable and enjoyable to me for what it signified. The show itself was pretty strong musically. The young brass line punched above its weight. The percussion, as usual, didn't flash but cranked out clean, solid beats and was undervalued all season long IMO. Their 2019 production should serve as a . . . um . . . launchpad. 8. Scouts. Just the way they went for it. And for the last chapter of a long story. The feeling I had as I watched them leave the LOS field on Friday will stay with me a long time.