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I applaud both BD and SCV for making the intelligent decision

What do you know, two of the most financially sound and successful corps have common sense.

All kidding aside, Contra Costa County has entered the "purple zone" in the last couple of days, with a significant explosion of cases. This is likely to get worse when the Thanksgiving numbers come in. This is no joke, and we'll all have to have each other's backs, just like we did when we marched. The good of the community demands it, despite the economic and social hardships, and these are severe for many. The more conscientious we are, the quicker things will begin to turn around. Stay positive and stay safe.

With the normal field dropping out, a number of new corps, willing to take the risk and/or positioned to do so, seem poised to make finals: Daredevils Labcoats Santa Clara Sneezeguard Quarantina Crown Ubercavaliers Liability Waivers Vaccinators Disinfectors Maskateers Blue Spores Tracers CDC of Atlanta

The Blue Devils post today basically acknowledged the obvious. 2022 will hopefully see the return of a DCI touring season. It's a tough pill to swallow, but better to be realistic with the kids, the fans and the instructors/judges. Most researchers are predicting a 3rd wave of Covid-19 in February. We can only hope the vaccines being rolled out this winter will be effective, and bring an end to the pandemic sometime in 2021. In the meantime, we will continue giving till it hurts, to keep our corps going.

2021 DCI event series slated for Indy in August by Drum Corps International Drum Corps International is pleased to announce plans for a series of drum corps events to be held in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium August 12, 13 & 14, 2021. DCI and each of its individual organizations continue to gather information and closely monitor the evolving public health and safety conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Guided by a Tour Reopening Task Force of medical professionals and other experienced leaders both inside and outside of the marching arts, participating ensembles have been presented with information and options for their consideration regarding 2021 activities. With considerable and unique challenges being faced by individual groups, often with widely differing state, regional and local public health requirements, each participating organization is encouraged to proceed in the best interest of their performers and their respective organizations—not only for 2021 but for the long-term as well. “The coming season will, by necessity, be ‘different’ to say the least; but we are determined to safely create a stage like no other in order to offer performance opportunities in the summer of 2021 as a ‘bridge’ to a tour in 2022 and the celebration of DCI’s 50th anniversary season,” Drum Corps International CEO Dan Acheson said. “Not only are we anticipating that the corps will offer an incredible experience for their performers in 2021, but we are confident beyond any doubt that fans who support our activity will be delighted by their performances.” Subcommittee meetings, additional research, and ongoing discussion will continue during the coming days and weeks in preparation for the next full meeting of corps directors, to be held at the 2021 DCI (Virtual) Annual Meeting in January. “We anticipate that if circumstances improve with regard to controlling the pandemic, we will seize every safe opportunity available to add events in addition to those being planned for Indianapolis,” Acheson said.

Blue Stars plan on fielding a corps, no mention of traveling to Indy yet. https://bluestars.org/latest-news/2020/10/26/2021-blue-stars-faqs

Yes, Greg, you are right. Consider this, though: There was no VFW National Championship in '44 or '45, and the Legion suspended its Nationals from '42 through '47, yet, when drum corps re-emerged after WWII, it was stronger than ever and reached its high water mark over the next 3 decades or so. (We were a part of that renaissance.) Here's to history repeating itself.

I’m glad that those naughty little Devils used good judgment to cancel the 2021 season yet planning their return to dominance again in 2022. #20 in 22. Do it up Devils!

there is a 30 plus page document floating about ( marked confidential i may add) detailing all of the logistical concerns, guidelines and procedures a corps has to follow. given that list and mentally calculating the costs, i can't imagine this option makes zero financial sense. revenues are going to be very limited. I get it...I want drum corps too, but this half baked, and any corps trying this is risking the well being of their members. last i heard it made it to reddit but may have been yanked. i rarely go there anymore and now BD and SCV just announced they are not travelling to Indy.

Let's see how this goes.

But .....But .... But ......... Not really. I am thrilled to hear positive news from DCI. That’s the spirit! 🤙

2021 NEWS! The Cadets will be performing LIVE for you this summer. Read more: https://cadets.org/summer-2021-dci-to-host-showcase-event... #dci2021 #cadets2021

so... can Pacific Crest win if they fill up with BD and Vanguard kids? lol

Pacific Crest is pleased to announce that we intend to perform at the DCI events in Indianapolis on August 12, 13, and 14, 2021. We also expect to develop local performances in Southern California during July, that adhere to pandemic restrictions in place at that time. And if pandemic restrictions lift and DCI schedules additional […] View the full article

These are very different times. The financial burden of running a corps is much different, the touring model is much different, and just the overall culture/interest in the activity is much different. I can't really say definitively whether drum corps will survive this, but I hope it does.

This is unbelievably sad. It's not like you can just flip a switch and have 2022 like nothing ever happened.

There certainly would be issues having all '20 and '21 age-outs marching in '22 with having a mass exodus of membership aging out in a single year. Extending the age out to 23 permanently would be one way to fix this, if that's the route they chose to go. Selfishly, if there's no season I'd like the offer to be extended to at least the contracted rook-outs, as I feel there's a significant difference between missing your last year and not being able to march at all. But it is what it is. I do find a great deal of irony, though, in the "get a life" sentiment towards people who'd march at 23 from people who have posted thousands of times to a forum about a "kids activity." Same people who would probably have marched well past that if there was no traditional age limit.

I presume DCI has been in discussions with the state and people who run Lucas. I wonder what they anticipate the number of fans to be allowed to attend will be. I also wonder many fans are going to want to attend in person. Maybe DCI is considering Pay Per View.

whats a drive across town?

Probably, as it stands now with what little info is out there, this gig in the oil can should never have left the DCI offices.

As evidenced by the fact that they took plenty of time to carefully consider the matter rather than jumping to a conclusion.

#20 in 2022

I can see corps near Indy maybe doing a participation but it makes no financial sense BD and SCV or any corps out west to travel for just an event. Tour fees from 2020 will need to be refunded to those members who are not marching.

Gutsy move in the opposite direction.... Phantom spending a good portion of 2009 rewriting their drill. I remember their early season performance before the rewrite started and think that had they kept most of the original drill they would have placed higher than 9th. Then again, if 2009 hadn't been the challenge it was I don't think they would have come out with something as good as 2010 and it's entrance from the tunnel opener.

Here is a video link for part of the show. Is there a way to buy these old shows? https://www.dci.org/news/flashback-friday-1988-suncoast-sound

and not even close to what we have been dealing with since the spring. and that flu season didn't kill over a quarter of a million people and counting. i get it...you want to march. you also refuse to discuss any of the massive logistical hurdles facing the activity. a vaccine will not be widely distributed in time for a season. it sucks, but to quote a government official, "it is what it is".

The Sunrisers did the Macy's event a couple of times in the late '60s. I recall marching past the Broadway Theater in '68 where Cabaret was being performed. We were playing "the Joker" from Roar of the Greasepaint, and "Man of La Mancha" from well, you know. Broadway show tunes were the bomb in drum corps in those days.

Gunther's analysis is very astute, and brings to mind a distinction Cornel West makes in his book, Democracy Matters, between two competing forms of Christianity, prophetic and Constantinian. The former concerns itself primarily with fulfilling the moral obligation of supporting the community through charitable good works. The other, named for the 4th Century Roman Emperor who made Christianity the official religion of the empire, exemplifies the merging of church and state, and uses the power of both to enhance its goals. In the case of "church corps", one can see the shift from the '60s to the '70s reflected in these terms. Where John XXIII had promoted outreach to the people via the reforms of Vatican II, subsequent reactionary popes (and bishops, as Gunther mentions) sought mainly to solidify the economic and political status of the church. All of this, of course, is way beyond the pay grade of the volunteer supporters of neighborhood corps and other youth activities, instructors honing their teacherly skills, and the members themselves. To be sure, this was not the only factor in the decline of these grass-roots youth activities, but it was a major, if not fatal, wound from which parish corps would never recover. It's ironic that today, when the church could really use some positive public relations, supporting activities such as these would greatly enhance its image. Perhaps there are still some prophets somewhere.