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As a fan, love ‘em...unless they suck. Mostly they suck. As an instructor, absolutely hate them. The implementation burden placed on everyone is ridiculous. (90% of that burden goes to membership, which is the last place it should go.) But seriously, designers have to think of them (mostly trial and error), builders have to make them (mostly trial and error), corps have to pay for them and the transportation, and worst of all: membership has to transport, assemble, disassemble, and implement them into the show. It’s a testament to the astronomical talent of the membership of championship level drum corps that they can still perform at such high levels, even though rehearsal and warmup time is severely impacted by managing props. Judges love them, thus they’re not going away, no matter how poorly they’re integrated into the show. Same deal with electronics: have to use them to get points, even if horribly implemented. I predict a future where DCI charges admission to the warmup area, because more fans will start doing that instead of going to shows. The cost is getting crazy, and half the shows are unwatchable because of poor prop/electronic integration.

drum corps has always been haves and have nots. the issue today is how to get kids to do something not at the DCI level? high school marching band BITD was not anywhere close to what it is today and there was no WGI nor was indoor anywhere close to what it is now locally. plus the cost just to do "local" corps isnt cheap. you need equipment from somewhere. you need insurance. gotta feed them when you're together as the "busses are pulling into McDonalds" mode for every meal is unsustainable. rehearse where for how much? insurance.

you obviously have short term memory

Exactly! I haven’t read this level of stupid in a long time.

Ain’t that all of them…..

But I thought this was the decline of drum corps and who is to blame thread.

Start your own topic instead of high jacking this one! Thank you

You mean something like this? (Love me some Key & Peele)

Lol Took the “swamp tour” at a mansion near Charleston SC. Later walked a path and “wow look at that statue of a really big gator”. Then a front leg of the “statue” moved. It was about 15 feet off the path and we decided not to see how fast they can turn around. 😬😬😬😬😬

Sorry, but that is not accurate. Nobody in the history of drum corps had an operating model using both member corps and non-member corps to create systemic haves/have-nots until DCA and DCI came along.

Have seen that a few times. Also 1978 Finals which is a little dark with the night lighting but wow…

Original reply with "and thats the bottom line" youtube clip should have been a hint. In that quoted post you used "the bottom line is" a couple of times and it was funny. YLofHMV

There's a video of Matadors' 1977 DCA Prelims performance out there (YouTube, I think... and it's a bit jumpy in spots). It's everything that DCA was/is supposed to be about... hugely entertaining, quality corps, and the "star power" of Jim Centerino and Ritchee Price. Plus a great visual design by Bobby Hoffman.

Sure you remember how low the stands were at Danville. People on bottom row had their feet resting on ground level. We were second row (IOW bell level) and big push at end of Rodeo (opening number) came at the stands with sop screamers right in front of us. 😳 one of my top three unforgettable corps moments

If that's your criteria would you pay to See Matadors 77 again? i know I sure as hell would!

i'm not sure how it works anymore. since there were only 14 corps in 19 at a #### location, i am sure everyone made something. not sure how much

true story in July 2001 i went to Gainesville to be in a very good friends wedding. he took me on a tour of UF campus, and as we approached the Stadium...aka The Swamp, right next to a legit swamp......traffic was at a stop. he guessed gator, we got out and looked and sure enough a 10 footer was making his way from the stadium to the other swamp.

The Brothers, Bear, and Kevin Luster coming in to Shore in 95 ( and yes I know most were there other years) took Westshore to the next level when it comes to groove. Without them...95 and 96 don't end up the way they did.

You understand the vicious circle of how less corps = more cost per corps. Thank you so much for explaining that.

I would be in favor of a ban on props for the next several years until corps can get back on their feet. This activity survived without them for years and years, we can survive again. Lets let the groups save some money.

When it comes to church groups, specifically Catholic Church sponsored corps in the Boston Archdiocese, there’s no one reason for moving away from sponsorship. Boston Crusaders, St. Mary’s Cardinals of Beverly, Holy Family Defenders, all grew too big and the splits had rocky moments but overall were pretty much amicable. There are at least four versions and many variations of the IC Reveries case. The senior corps (senior in Boston was still a junior corps) was disbanded by an angry pastor after the 1966 VFW sit in. That is the only detail the various versions agree on, but the feeder corps remained and later was one of the corps that merged to form North Star. The disbanded senior corps became 27th Lancers. Even if the 1966 sit in did not happen, Reveries would have either split from the parish or a new corps would have been formed. George Bonfiglio’s vision for drum corps was too big for a parish activity and while I know those affiliated with 27th view the pastor of the time negatively and some of 27th’s rivals see him as wonderful and his reputation maligned, regardless of who is correct, his parish was his ship and the two would have eventually collided. St. Francis Sancians of Weymouth was a bit on again/off again regarding sponsorship and my understanding is it depended on parish staff. The disbandment of St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights of Dorchester and St. Rose Scarlet Lancers of Chelsea was largely due to a change of demographics. Majestic Knights of Charlestown seemed to die a slow death. I believe they were independent at the end. By the 1970’s, corps outgrew the CYO rules. For any CYO competitive activity, whether it be drum corps, bands, drill teams, or athletics, 75% of the members had to be Catholic and registered members of the parish, 15% could be non Catholic but needed to live in the parish boundaries, 10% could be recruited from outside the parish but needed the permission of their home parish to participate. While it may sound restrictive, given the demographics it meant most kids could participate. As recruiting became more difficult, the number of non parishioners participating sometimes was as high as 70%. The band I was in is a good example. When I joined, the majority were members of the sponsoring parish. When I left, it was about 60% non parish. The CYO Circuit waved the the rules for many drum corps, drill teams, and bands but the athletic teams still had to follow the recruitment policies. Many parishes believed it was unfair for musical activities to compete with exemptions but not the sports teams. Others wondered why the parish sponsored an activity for so many non parishioners. As a priest I think allowing any young person who wants to march to do so is the best idea but as a pastor/administrator who has to budget, I understand the financial concerns.

Someone should do a show called 'Five Kick-A** Songs & some Cool Drill'

The bean counters need to reel in the artist types or soon finals will take less than an hour.

-Sounds like Madison? Check. -Looks like Madison? Check. I'm in. Mike

Tacky.