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BAC has their first and last full corps camp this coming weekend, and as of then, we will be only four weeks away from Spring Training in Castleton, Vermont. This year, they will only be up there 17 days, with the rest of pre-season on locations closer to the Boston area. Along with several local performances, many of us are thrilled to have the corps closer to the Hub. Can't wait for the start of the season!!!!

I was fortunate enough to not have to endure anything that, in my own mind, I ever considered as abuse. But I did have the occasional run in with a certain visual field instructor (most Regiment alums from the 90’s could probably guess who) who tried to jump my case for being injured. One day, my bad knee was just not cooperating and kept giving out on me. Finally, it just completely buckled and I fell on my ### during a run. So, I took myself out to give it a rest. I intentionally waited until the rest of the corps got a water break before I headed over to get some myself. (I literally hopped over) He saw me getting water and started yelling at me that if I were really hurt, I wouldn’t be able to move at all and just tore into me, essentially saying I was faking. It royally ###### me off and we both got into a heated argument right there on the sideline. I eventually stormed (hobbled) off to the food truck and, not very long after, the corps director came over to talk about it. I explained what happened and he said not to worry about it, he’d talk to ***. (We then talked about movies for a bit.) At least that time, I wasn’t kicked off the field. (That was when I told one of the drum majors to p*** off. Heh heh.) But I did witness (along with everyone else on the field) what I would consider verbal abuse that went way beyond the usual “tough” drum corps rehearsal talk. This person was publicly singled out relentlessly and I felt horrible for her. But when future Hall of Famers that eventually have caption awards named after them were saying it… Thankfully, I don’t remember hearing anything like that my second year. All of our upper staff/caption heads—several of whom either came on or were promoted the year before (which I had to take off)—were all respectful, even when being critical. I mostly considered the person I dealt with as an occasional nuisance.

I think the biggest question coming into 2024 is can BAC/Bloo/Crown separate from the other two and challenge BD. Last year, we saw the auto racing effect. Second place moves into position to challenge for first, but then here comes the third and fourth place car, so second now has to defend his spot, which allows first place to pull away. Those three corps (All freaking phenomenal btw) canceled each other out. We saw pretty much the same thing as well in 2022. Can one of them break away from the pack? If not, then yes, another "DJ Slap" courtesy of BD is upon us.

Since you apparently got it all figured out in April, no reason for us to see you here complaining in August.

That is packed on the front sideline and around into the end zones. Concert side in Indy doesn’t hold as much as you think it does

And have reserves for future lawsuits since you own the name

Honestly the ballad was meh for me all summer

If they earned the higher score, absolutely. If not, you won't see me here crying and saying the judges are paid off, and bringing up instances from the 1920s etc, when said judge scored my corps lower than another corps in a competition. They earn it, congrats. If not, go work harder.

Oh I’m not gonna disagree on that caption. However a few other calls on other sheets confuse me too

98 they sounded AMAZING playing Tchaikovsky. Came right after a tremendous jazzy shows in 96/97. 00 they sounded even better (imo) playing a bunch of Herrmann that had more of a romantic than modern feel. That was after 99. Both of those were outliers to the jazz stuff they were most identified with. Neither of those shows won, though.... But I think BD could pull off anything and sound great.

pretty easy to pick out 3 or 50 conventions that every other top corps uses every year. i could do it for boston and bloo, but i'm an adult. i'd love to see the top 3 from last year all change things up. the formulas have gotten alittle stale to me even though i've liked the products.

Back in the AL/VFW era there were posts in almost every town in America, and in cities often one in every neighborhood. Many had Corps (usually smaller) and these Corps went to the state & sometimes national conventions, where the competition was part of the general festivities. And the members of each post would be there to cheer on their Corps. And some of these fans followed into the DCI era. As the WW2 generation died off, fewer young veterans joined the VFW & AL. Also, the tour is now the smallest ever (barring perhaps 2022). So less opportunity to recruit new casual fans. Also doesn’t help that DCI killed the regional circuits like DCM.

If DCP had the descriptions from a fraction of the survivors who have reported to me, MAASIN, and other proper whistleblowing channels... ... or if DCP knew about the young lives demolished by their drum corps experience... ... then there would be pitchforks from even the staunchest of detractors. Downplaying that contributes to the problem. For every 50 great experiences there may have been at least one adverse one. Through out history. But whatevs, amirite? Those reporting must just be weak or too sensitive... "not drum corps material." /s

I wonder if DCI tracks the demographics of attendees? In other words, how many are parents/family of performers? How many are alumni of extant Corps? How many are alumni of extinct Corps? How many are HS band students? How many are fans that just enjoy Drum Corps? How many are locals that want to see what Drum Corps is? Etc? As DCI paid attendance is the biggest source of income, I would hope that corporate DCI understands who these people are.

IDK if BD will four-peat. But I am confidently predicting that if there is a four-peat in 2024, it will be Blue Devils.

Have listened to it plenty of times. It usually doesn't reach the threshold of mature (the clip of the guy misspelling a euphemism for breasts isn't really funny, it's just obnoxious). It's much more sports talk radio than "Fresh Air" (which, I recognize, is not what DCAF is aiming to be).

If DCP was my only reference point to the activity, I might think it was a cross between Jeffery Epstein Island and the Sopranos.

The Rock is announcing the title?

Four is a foregone conclusion in my mind. They have the same staff and won in 2023 with a young corps. The only thing to wonder about in April 2024 is will they make it to five.

Good grief. Here we go, again. What part of "they are now a part of drum corps history" don't some people understand? Stop clinging and just let it go, already.

Tank. That was BD straight up flexing on everyone. It's like a football team being up 50-0 with two minutes left in the game, and they throw a 75 yd bomb for another TD..........because they can. Moon River.......Tank...........Game Over.

the Jojo's meledy was good but good lord, Tank! the year before was supreme. I still think a Seatbelts + Stan Kenton show would be amazing for this BD team to work with while they're on this idiom.

You could surmise that. But also a resasonable scenario is that BD maintains medal status long enough while other corps crumble under finances and they're one of the last three standing.

Or Tour 2 and Tour 7

Aren’t there other forums where you can twist yourself into a pretzel to make a lame “ oooooohhh scary George Soros” post? DCP ain’t it

I'm saying this only half tongue in cheek, but most of those types of folks are too busy actually running drum corps... Mike

I wish there was an intelligent, mature, informed podcast that discussed the art form and the business of drum corps, one where the folks who actually know what's what would be willing to go on and discuss the activity and provide insight and clarity to listeners. Something very different from DCAF, in other words.

Yeah, saying that DCI knew the end was coming and "gave" Cadets the 5th place finish was conspiracy theory, clueless, and just plain stupid. The Cadets came in 5th because they were better than everyone beneath them, including this woman's beloved Regiment. They deserved their placement, and I say this as a Boston supporter.

To be fair. Buffalo and Toledo are both armpits on the end of Lake Erie…

MAASIN is a terrorist organisation