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Hopefully this is not a rehash of an old thread, but what do you look forward to most during the Drum Corps season, besides the obvious of the actual groups shows and performances? For me, it is the once a year friendships that I have developed with fellow fans over the years. There is a couple dudes who my buddy and I met several years ago during finals week. We sat in front of them, and all of us kept hearing the others making comments similar to the other pair. We struck up a conversation during the marathon prelims day, and every year we get back together, grab a meal or two together during the week, and pick up as if no time has passed. It is an odd friendship, in the fact that we do not talk much, sometimes at all, until Finals week the next year. Even in years when our seats are not next to each other, we seek each other out, and pick back up. These are the types of things that make this activity more than just the performances on the field.

Coming next to DCI, WGI, BOA or circuit show near you??? https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehighvalley/emmaus-high-school-drumline-reinstated-after-baby-powder-incident/article_29dd330e-04ef-11ea-a42a-035c582c0f4f.html https://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-opi-east-penn-drumline-baby-powder-muschick-20191112-q4hmnzuayna5ncasavvimmlbpy-story.html https://www.mcall.com/news/local/east-penn/mc-nws-emmaus-high-school-drumline-ban-20191111-mndr4nkzbfa75kh5vbj3s5dgkq-story.html

As the girl in the Old El Paso commercial says, "Why not both?"

There's another option: The Midwest/south could organize its own circuit and championships. This has been done twice in the past, with the RCA and ICA circuits. The problem with those two attempts was that a very strong DCA existed at the same time. The east coast corps had their reputations already established, years ago. They were the corps to beat, if one had the product. Understanding that I have always competed out east (with ONE exception), DCA today isn't as strong as it was in those days.

only if you refuse to accept the world has changed

D. C. = Don Cherry? (I hear his new job has already been signed-on as a consultant with a well known uniform/costume mfg. for the marching arts.)

Nah, more contra

1990 is one of my all-time favorite shows, with Bacchanale and especially the Organ Symphony. We played both in the band I taught, around 1996. Screetch was the wind arranger, and I wrote the battery percussion that year.

Well speaking of lesser DCA circuits here’s my favorite memory.... Westshoremen were kicking butt in lesser RCA and taking last or so in DCA shows. At practice some newbie (NOT me as I knew why) yells out “why are we going to DCA shows and come in last? Why don’t we do RCA shows and come in first?” ...few seconds of silence which was not a good sign, Larry answers... “because we get more money coming in last at DCA then we do coming in first at RCA...THAT’S why”. You could just feel the temperature drop 10 degrees. 😬

Wow... Larry would get on you guys??? I'm shocked here.

Sounds similar to a circa 1970s festival run by the Home News in central NJ at the old Rutgers Stadium. A bunch of bands, and only a few of them were competition-style. And the announcer... I think he might have been a longtime staffer at the Home News... he would talk during the bands' performances. "If you see something you like, give 'em a hand!!!"... stuff like that. LOL.

I think they and Newsday used the same program consultant who gave each the same rules. Dr. Baggs and Aram Kazaian were class all the way.

The Herald News festival made it tough on the competitive bands back in the early 70's. Most competitive bands started on the left and exited on the right like drum corps. Shows were 9 minutes or even longer. The Herald News required bands to start on the right and exit to the left, and they had a 7-minute max. If you were overtime two years in a row you were kicked out. Moe Kazazian was the timing person. It was not a competition, but they had Dr Bernard Baggs do a sheet of commentary for each band most years. They had a mass band number at the end each night, alternating between "Dem Basses" and "America, the Beautiful".

Forgot about that different sheets and judges bit. RCA was easier on execution for obvious reasons. Did both circuits a few years and whole different mindset. can still her Hershman screaming “it’s a DCA show this time, execute bleep it execute” MBI and Chicago Connection... everyone’s favorite 11th and 12th place Corps late 70s. If they would have had some DCA judging earlier it would have been real interesting. Now I know why we did judged exhibition if possible so we could get the sheets and tapes

This, and what Poppycock has said. The more shows for various "out of the Northeast" corps, the better for them... I'm not sure I care which circuit they're affiliated with. And yes, if they are in good shape financially, they can then make the trip to the DCA title show. The one downside I can see with that is.... if those corps are not being judged by DCA panels (or on DCA sheets) for at least some of their regular-season shows... they would take the chances of being a "first read" for the DCA judges at a DCA title event. Reminiscent of what used to be called "The Midwest Penalty" for corps making the trip East with no exposure there until Labor Day weekend. Gotta be honest... MBI paid that "penalty" at least a few times.

Yep... Wouldn’t be the first time there were more than one All age circuit going on at same time. And usually some of the better lesser circuit corps would go to DCA if they had the resources. Bottom line, if members want to join to actually do field shows and compete, the more competitions anywhere the better. Did time in two non-DCA circuits. Difference then was Corps talent and not distance. Things change and if two circuits due to distance, why not? Shades of DC Midwest some years back with Jr and Sr corps

already talk of tv dollars. I mean look how many bowl games there are now. Used to be you had to be good to get into a bowl game. Now you just have to not suck

Loyalty has legs! A DCI all-age division beginning and ending the same as other DCI corps makes more sense for those organizations outside of the NE. IMO greater recruiting opportunities and more regional performance opportunities too. If those organizations have the resources and want to attend DCA Championships why not allow them to participate as a at large member. DCA continues as a small NE circuit keeping their Labor Day weekend of events. Also allows for all of the all-age corps to continue to stay active and better manage their financials.

Would love to see more corps and shows outside of Northeast. But how do you build up interest anyplace where there has not been a corps presence for years. To me big first step is building up interest to make a new show viable

As long as we don’t fall into the “well I was able to do it BITD so what’s the problem now” I’m fine. And that goes for anything.

I and my eight siblings all worked part time and also earned scholarships for college. Only one went to a State school and that was across the nation. it can be done.

Newsday Band Festival on L.I. annually draws over 60 local bands (only a number who usually compete) and is held each year on a Tuesday-Weds-Thurs. night set up. It mimics BOA only in the energy shown and each band has to sit out a year every so often to allow the chance for other schools to participate. Almost never any drum corps recruiting however.

One of them was an NJ school teacher in my family.

i'm the same, but my waitress id'd me for beer and saw my veteran designation. she just removed it from my bill without me even asking. funny, because the only reason i got it on my id in the first place was so i could get free parking at vegas resorts.

Supposedly a corps was asked by the Cadets for a loan. This corps said give us USBands and we'll give you half a mil.

so does Harrisburg

I have veterans guilt because I didn’t do time in the sand. So, I don’t do the free stuff. But I do take the veterans parking spot at Harris Teeter ( grocery store chain)

150 (or more) MM's at $4,000 tour fees each, plus the roughly $700m of "unattributed" income (mostly sponsorships and equipment deals) SHOULD be enough to field a competitive show. Just as, oh, Blue Stars, PC, Mandarins, Madison, Phantom... Or, here's another reason: The present value of, say, 10 years' worth of approximately $750m annual profit (2017 numbers) from US Bands is somewhere between $3million to $3.5million at an expected Rate of Return of 7% per year. That would pay off all of Cadets debt (including retirement plan obligations to past employees) and still leave a substantial cushion in the bank. And that deal is especially attractive if the deal allows Cadets to bid on taking over USBands at some point in the future (a 5-year option would make sense). Cadets could use the time to refocus, rebuild, and renew after the calamity of a lifetime and, hopefully, be in a better position to dedicate resources to outside revenue sources.

Do you see what you've started????

I'm really sick of this "I've got a secret" crap on here. This corps has been through hell lately. Enough with the innuendos.

We old Oakies need to keep the heritage alive!

I love Michael Klesch. It is like Jim Prime 2.0!! :-p bEASTcoast <3

renting large NFL stadiums don't help keep costs down, thats for sure. while USBands generates revenue, the costs have to keep profitability lower than it could be.

I think they'll be too busy trying to pay off renting AT&T Stadium in Dallas for a band show today (a Monday and national holiday??) with only 16 bands in attendance. Probably not the wisest move for an organization trying to get back on track financially IMO.