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NO ONE SHOULD EVERY CHANGE CORPS FOR ANY REASON. THAT IS THE LAW. AND PARTICULARLY IF THEY LEAVE MY FAVORITE CORPS!

"But hey... I'm just a blast from the past spitballin' here. So whatever. 😂 Yeah, I suppose some think you and I are getting towards the back of the parade, with the Sanitation Sweepers not far behind. Not to worry. I'm all in on reincarnation. I'm comin' back as a Bluecoat.

Living in Penn State country 🥵 . Lot of times it’s the idea that they won’t get caught, what THEY do isn’t really abuse or the idea that you can get away with it because others will protect the “good name of the organization” by burying

Though they were not from the Midwest, there’s also my favorite corps I never saw: the Jolly Jesters!

People with long memories will mention the CMCC Warriors out of the Bronx from time to time.

I've worked in groups that counsel to addicts for almost four years. The two things I've learned that are almost 100% applicable in these cases: 1) something happened to them early in life that formed their critical thinking to accept addictive and/or destructive behavior as acceptable, even necessary; 2) they have become conditioned to believe it's normal and happens to most people. When addicts first learn that the choices they continue to make were set on their course as children or teens, they're initially shocked, but when you start unravelling relationships with parents, teachers, or other influential adults, they see that these were not choices they suddenly started making out of the blue one day. For instance, 80% of men addicted to pornography had a serious issue in their relationship with their father. A 15 year old girl replied to an anonymous school survey that she had been molested/raped by her friend's father while she was having a sleepover with the friend. She went to sleep in the girl's bedroom and woke up in another bedroom. Her comment was devastating... "at least she HAS a dad." That was her takeaway from the experience. The comedian Christopher Titus long ago mentioned that over 50% of families in the US are now considered "dysfunctional." It's closer to 90% now. Shake the family tree even a little and most of us will have some kind of issue fall out.

Might want to turn down your volume for the beginning of this. This whole piece is amazing. This is just one part of one mvmt, but the whole piece is amazing. The "Hymn" and "Nocturne" are my other faves:

"BUT… problems with championships being held Labor Day weekend and members being in school. Plus members who are parents having to get kids to college sites." Indeed. It's always been difficult for us to accept the fact that the universe as we know it doesn't revolve around Drum Corps. Things that interfere and must be pushed away: 1. Family vacation 2. Graduation 3. Prom 4. Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs/Confirmations...etc. 5. Wakes and funerals 6. Court appearances 7. Final exams 8. Elective surgery... The list is endless and the "civilians" will never understand that Drum Corps comes first...period.

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Well since you put it in all caps… 😆

I... I just don't get it. He is literally working a job that a lot of people dream of doing... I just don't get it. I don't think I will ever understand how someone could do something so horrible.

From what I know, Jim Ancona (and I think the sound designer, Andrew Monteiro) were the only percussion folks not fired. A friend of a friend that marched this past year said that Ancona emailed the percussion members saying that due to Crown's (pretty #### poor) handling of the staff change, he'd be going to Boston since he was fed up with how Crown had been treating its percussion staff. He then offered expedited auditions for Crown vets that wanted to go to Boston which is why there are like six or seven Crown percussion members now there (including a center snare and center marimba). Boston didn't poach ####. Ancona went there because he'd rather work with friends and not have his fellow staff be treated disrespectfully.

Missed a big one: the idea that the abuser thinks they will not be held accountable because they are/were so important to the organization. Just remember Sanduskys smirk that didn’t go away until he was found guilty on about 90% of the charges. To me it looked like “they wouldn’t DARE do anything to me (especially in central PA)”. Of course followed by “oh ####”.

Ballantine Brewers too! A senior corps sponsored by a beer company! Warren PA Cornplanters too!

read a box (theoretically) and assign numbers to said box. back up numbers with jargon on a tape, and then ask "did you hear my tape" and not know how to respond to "do you remember your comments?" its not rocket science... its just all made up to compare apples and forks.

LOL!!! I'm sticking around for a bit longer as my fiancee Brenda's biggest fan, since she'll be part of the Crossmen Alumni 50th Anniversary corps in 2024. She's a 1980-81 Bones alum.

And that chatter makes sense, to me at least. To be absolutely honest... there are several DCA corps that are not close to having a finished product on the field well into July. NOT denigrating those corps.... it gets tougher every year to keep their corps alive, and I salute their efforts... but just stating a sign of the times, I guess. Not sure the early-season show sponsors and, yes, the fans, are getting their money's worth, in total. But hey... I'm just a blast from the past spitballin' here. So whatever. 🙂

I've seen more than a few band/guard people "encouraged" to resign before being terminated.

The George Washington Carver Gay Blades!!! A senior corps from Newark, NJ. The Long Island Sunrisers DCA corps picked up several Gay Blades members in the mid-1960s. Quite frankly, there were not many options for African-Americans to join a senior corps in the NYC area in that era. The Gay Blades were majority if not entirely Black, and the Sunrisers and NY Skyliners were integrated. Two of the Gay Blades who joined Sun... color guard captain and, later, visual designer and caption head Gene Bennett, and quartermaster/goodwill ambassador Alfred "Uncle Nick" Nichols... have been inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame. We in Sun were lucky to have them on board! Gene's visual shows, circa mid to late 1970s, were several years ahead of the curve in DCA.

George Washington Carver Gay Blades. An all Black corps which somehow the “ethnic” corps barely get a mention (outside of Mandarins in the past)

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There were also the Gay Blades in late 50s-early 60s.

Absolutely!!! They had a great corps in the late 1960s-early 70s.

And they did Senior corps for a few years in the 80s. Saw them at DCA prelims. And mini corps few years back

But 2 of those early shows get packed houses….. Bucs 1st show and Cabs Grand Prix

Named after Chief Cornplanter… google that one if you like folks…

Sending you a PM on FB Messenger. I think you'll get a kick out of it. 😂

Always thought if I’d attend a parade the Lancers were at I’d be a “water wench”. That is one of the people behind the corps pulling a wagon full of water bottles. Then at stops run up with an armload of bottles “water? water?”.

Talk about getting hit from both ends…. Problems with corps being ready early in the season so mebbe start season later. BUT… problems with championships being held Labor Day weekend and members being in school. Plus members who are parents having to get kids to college sites. So mebbe end the season earlier? (Ran into this problem 1977 due to college band camp. Thank goodness band director realized the corps people in the band were “good influences” so cut us slack on leaving Friday night. Still was Hell missing last week of corps practice before DCA and your corps is trying to make top 10 🥵🥵🥵)

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Here's a plan: Truncate the DCA competitive season down to a month, the last 3 weeks of August and the first week in September. DCI performers who wished to could then march this extended season with DCA corps after Indy. (Some already do this.) It would be the drum corps equivalent to those post-season football games like the East/West Shrine, the Pro Bowl or the College All-Star events.

That's what you view as getting stale. What I view as getting stale is how nobody can criticize Boston anymore without the wraths of hell raining down upon them because for some reason Boston is now the darling of DCI. That loaf is so stale it's practically growing mold by this point.

Aagghh more of the dopey poaching baloney. So are all new crown staff poached from elsewhere? Same logic, right. Staff moving from one corps to another isn’t poaching. It’s staff moving to new gigs. For a variety of reasons. Some self directed, some disinvited. Let’s finally end the poaching commentary. It’s getting old.

Where did Gino come from?

So Crowns pit staff to BAC? Is Crown the only corps that BAC can poach from? Asking for a friend.

If Phantom or any corps for that matter decides on Andrew Lloyd Webber, I’d be cautious. He has his share of showstoppers that can be used effectively in drum corps, no question, and a musical review of his songbook featuring the wide range could be interesting, but his music is really is stuck in the 80’s and that’s fine for long rides in the car, on our playlists, a revival by a local theater group or high school/college drama club, etc., but I’m not sure a straightforward “Phantom” or “Cats” or “Evita” for that matter would be the best idea for drum corps at a time innovation and originality are critical for success. I’m sure I’d enjoy such a show, but I don’t think it would threaten BAC, Bloo, Crown, or BD, or Mandarins, Cadets, or Cavies for that matter.

The 1966 Madison Scouts bass drums propelled them into VFW finals. This was the era of shortened prelim shows (7 min) , and the judging was biased heavily toward execution. Madison had the entire Corps off the field by the 2-min mark, except for 2 bass drums that continued to mark time to the quarter-notes they were playing. It worked; Madison made it into finals & came in (iirc) 10th. But, this probably isn't what OP had in mind.

Saw Joe Alessi perform Chick Corea's trombone concerto a couple days ago. The whole thing is great, but the last (tango) movement gives "music corps should do." (cued up in this link)

There’s been many amazing bass lines. Holy Bass any year. Crossmen in the Thurston years. Cavies especially since Mac took over. BD, SCV… the list goes on. the problem is in a dome it’s harder to hear them and catch the amazing way they split atoms

I’m with Kopeck… a reboot of Symphonie “Phantastique” would be worth looking into.

When does it ever not mean that here?

and feedback from DCI judges is always a nice thing to get. as i said several do judge for both places, but good judges can adapt to any sheets they work, even DCA's goofy GE/Communication sheets

Drum corps Midwest used to have DCA groups in their shows. Some shows out east have a few DCA groups there. I think you need to time it right for the weekend to make it beneficial.

It’s the only cure they have discussed yet it’s the only target of blame for what got them here

That era was different. Everyone used bugles for years because they were a niche item. Useless to anyone outside of the activity. However Having money to use was the first part of the process. You could then pay for great staff, good accommodations, and excellent design. Better conditions means attracting better members. Better ingredients, better pizza.

I'm a lawyer and this person is "charged" with a crime. He's not convicted. BIG DIFFERENCE......not saying he's innocent but let the facts run the course before we hang people.

So, in the vernacular of my old neighborhood, "How we doin'?" Better overall, I'd say, based on observations made at Stanford, Annapolis and Allentown. (Note: all were outdoor shows.) 1. General Balance of Winds/Pit/Soloists - the first two show noticeable improvement over previous years; solos, not so much = C+ 2. Clarity of Narration - much improved by eq, levels, minimizing efx, and designers allowing space in scoring = B 3. Synth Overmodulation - better controlled by some corps, others still lagging = C 4. Mallet voice clarity - somewhat better, though some overmodulation, and masking by overwriting still evident = C- 5. Best of Breed - tie: Bluecoats/Cadets, with bonus to latter for utilizing Kerouac's actual voice, if I'm not mistaken. Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of someone who knows too much about sound mixing, and often expects more than may be reasonably anticipated from drum corps, given all their logistical constraints. Other viewpoints are welcome here, particularly from those who attended shows in domed venues.

Efrain protected a creep on BDB this past summer dispite multiple reports from a student. Im disgusted.