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I would be very surprised to see SCV outscore the Mandarins in anything other than percussion this summer. I have heard from multiple sources that SCV has a younger hornline this year, which is frankly to be expected. Glad they're back...just hope they're able to improve the dismal toxic culture that their alums talk about.

Scott Chandler Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/C6jvaTCvsOE/?hl=en

I may be wrong, but I think what @IllianaLancerContra is saying is that if you go to just about any corps thread, WE are the ones saying that they sound better, look better, etc than the previous season. Some of it may be true, some of it may just be fluff and false hype to get the fanbase of that corps excited. Majority of us are guilty of it, including myself. You said it yourself, we haven't seen anything from any of these corps. So we go off what we think we know. We haven't seen SCV in well over 600 days. But it doesn't stop you from thinking that they will be no lower than 6th. And there is nothing wrong with thinking that, even though some may disagree.

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We’re at the point in the offseason where every Corps is so much better than they were in the previous season. What is tbd is how much better the Corps is vs how much better all the other Corps are.

A quick check of Reddit drumcorps reveals what she wants. This is from Kenzee - I do not want the activity eradicated. I want this activity corrected. People deserve safety. Performers are forking over thousands of dollars to experience abuse and mistreatment. It’s unacceptable. This is and always will be about making enough noise to make sure others are protected so this stuff stops happening. It’s about making sure the people who are supposed to protect performers, actually protect their performers. It’s about holding those accountable. This isn’t enjoyable for me. This isn’t fun. This is incredibly traumatic. This has taken me ample time to gain the courage to do. It’s disgusting no one followed their own policies or protected me when I was 16. It’s time to force a change. It’s disgusting how many people went unprotected. It’s shameful how many people are ostracized for speaking up. Prior performers, current performers, and future performers deserve more.

2024

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West Coast Inflation!!!!!

Like everyone who says that THIS hornline is unbeatable because of lot videos. Everyone sounds unbeatable in lot videos.

Are we? Every corps is so much better than the previous season? We haven't seen anyone yet. There are always corps that are better than the previous season and always corps that aren't.

Whew. I pooped a little.

I'm thinking SVC is one highly motivated corps.

This activity is about 20 years behind the Catholic Church. It’s disgusting that people would continue to defend the likes of Spirit or Cadets or SCV. The rot is deep. No one dares mention the ex director of Cavies/SCV. Why? It sickens me. DCI has been negligent and cowardly. Oh, all we do is organize the tour. Well, how is that going. All the “TBD” contests. So sad.

So, I don't have access to any snippets of the corps, and if I did, I'm not tech savvy enough to post them here in any case. But, I have heard from multiple members that this year's show takes "alot of risks" that they haven't attempted before. I keep hearing this but I have no details...other than two 4 year vets told me they have never done anything like this. I literally don't know what they are referring to. As a 64 year old, avid supporter of them, BAC could play Mary Had a Little Lamb and I would cheer them on. It seems as though the design team and upper management at Boston have reinvented themselves. I get that BD is as close to being inevitable as you can get to winning yet again, but BAC apparently is thinking "not so fast...". In any case, they will be flying to Vermont exactly three weeks from tomorrow, and Max and I will probably make the 4 hour drive up to the Green Mountains at some point the following week.

Oh yes, i thought it was a statue, but now upon taking a closer look i'm seeing what you're seeing.

Crazy to think, but Clara is a grown woman now. Jeez we are getting old lol.

Clara: Part 2

Chief, bass drummer with the initials AST aged out from BD 2022, having marched BAC the prior year. She went to BD because her significant other had aged out in 2021 and wanted to be on staff in 2022, but BAC management wouldn't allow that. She is a wonderful drummer and a super all around person.

Fair enough. I’m not sleeping on Mandarins, though, and will be watching to see if they can keep strengthening their performance captions.

My understanding is they had a young corps in 2022. So if then retain membership from 2022, those members would be in their third year of experience. I have no idea though what their membership is and the experience of that membership. I think they need a much stronger design than 2022 to compete for top 4. I think their 2022 design was better than any of the 5th place and lower designs last year. Regiment, IMO, has one of the best designed shows of the year, but it lacked complexity to compete with the top 6 down the road, which held them back IMO. To me, assuming they build on next year and are better, they are the ones who have the best shot at keeping SCV out of the top 5. We'll see though.

Yes, it has been a frustrating pattern! However, they have come back strong usually after their drops, and I hope they do it again.

It will be interesting to see where they fair. I'm also excited about Regiment. Their show last year was so fantastic and well designed - if they add more complexity they could go far.

I would have a hard time seeing that as well. I really hope their design team comes up with something different - more colorful and fast-paced. They are still a big name with a huge talent on their staff. I just don't see them placing outside the top 6.

I've been told many many many horrible things by alumni. I have none about JF by a survivor, and no known connections to one. Anyone I know who's marched those years doesn't bring it up and I don't ask. That info has to be divulged completely voluntarily for it to be ethical. If how McKenzee, I, Terri and others I know have been regarded is the standard in this activity, then I don't blame them for staying in the shadows.

No one will come forward about him. All we hear are the stories and there are a lot of them. I had Cavies alumni that I had marched with elsewhere tell me when I asked why he was going to SCV. But, I’m sure the survivors are fearful of being ostracized and shunned. This was all covered in the Nadolny article on what happened to the young woman who was groomed and assaulted by Mike Stevens. She was a pariah. So that’s why, in a nutshell. People want their drum corps, collateral damage be ######.

That is for the 2026 70th Anniversary Alumni Corps

Same as Cadets, it means the case is closed/dismissed for the time being. It's also important to note that the case was dismissed without prejudice, which means it could be refiled at a later time against the other defendants. One other thing to note is that the John Does 1-10 were placeholders for people that may have been identified during discovery as being liable or having some responsibility in the case. It's a pretty common tactic in civil suits where names may have been forgotten or exact organizational structure wasn't known to the plaintiff.

Maybe, but you could say that about anyone. Would you have bet they would have finished 11th at this time a year ago? No. You'd have been laughed out of here if you said they were going to place 11th at this time last year. They had their best placement since the 70s in 2022. I don't think Mandarins, Regiment or Cavies will be challenging SCV either. It's funny that Spirit misses a year and drops 2 places and with Vanguard missing a year people are saying they might not make finals. They have a great staff. THAT is key.

Not to get off topic on my own string. However, the National Park Service just approved the demo of RFK yesterday. It's a big step toward attempts by DC to get the team back to DC. Now, please go back on topic regarding possible new location for the Annapolis show.

Every time the Blue Stars have a really successful season and put themselves in a position to move up in the standings; they fall back, sometimes significantly, the following year. I haven't seen or heard anything that gives me hope that they will be challenging the likes of the Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, SCV (who is still an unknown, this year, in terms of competitive strength), and the Mandarins. I'm sure the Colts and the Troopers had a fantastic off season because of their placements last year and will be a competitive challenge for the Blue Stars, too. In all honesty, I see the Blue Stars as a corps in competitive decline and if they have a season like they did last year, they will find themselves outside of the Top 12 in 2025. Depending on how good the Blue Knights and Pacific Crest are; it could happen this year.

How does this affect DCI and John Does 1 - 10 who were also named as plaintiffs in this lawsuit?

for 08, the good thing is it gave them time to refine it....a little remembered fact, Phantom had the 2nd highest score of the weekend...... by only .075 behind cavies!

The only way FedEx can be improved is by demoing it.

I met up with a high school friend, a horn player and the best musician in our band. She married another horn player she met in the community orchestra. I said, “Oh, that must be nice to have that common.” She replied, “Why would I ever wish the French horn on someone I love?”

One of my favorite Boston shows opened with Old MacDonald had a farm… …had.

It feels very Boston. When you hear/see the package you can tell who wrote/designed because they've got their own style but it is, IMO, quintessential Boston. Unapologetic for what it is and what they are doing on the field. The last opener that made me feel this way was when I saw SCV 18 live at the first show. So there is that.

I won't spoil anything. But this show is truly a treat. Some really cool things happening and the most talented corps out of Boston ever. This is 100% a show to watch for

Supposedly, management felt the corps needed more GE last year. Adding more risks might mean more guard difficult work, tougher drill, and how props are used.

Let's be real here. The Mandarins were successful last year because they put on a ###### show and the MMs marched and played the crap out of it! They did something on that field that no other corps did and it resonated. That had ZERO to do with SCV. People just need to STFU already. There said it.

This is because they are the new, more transparent SCV.

The Official Announcement is not too far away (generally the 1st week of ST which starts 18 May).

I liked what I saw there as well. Coherent design + better coordination + improved hornline choreo + modern guard design + percussion growth = good things are coming this season. Add Mackey writing an original closer?

He waited to compose the closer until the rest of the show was “done”. So he’s able to incorporate the rest of the show (musically and conceptually) into his original piece. So far he’s said the piece is so loud it hurts when wearing earbuds. Good starting point if you ask me!

3 grandsons. Both dads played trumpet in high school. Both dads have been to DCI shows since then. Both have said they will support their boys if they decide to march. I have pledged to cover at least 50% of their costs when the time comes.

I have yet to hear the Mackey. But I am very excited for crown this season. Dare i say it could be what we crown fans have waited for since ‘13. Seriously considering driving all night to make it down for Sunday camp (which would be very silly of me but …).

My wife and I attended DCI Finals for the first time ever last year. We had the time of our lives, and judging by the multiple standing ovations the corps got from the majority of fans in attendance, I would say they would be inclined to agree with me. Maybe i missed it, but I don't remember seeing or hearing anyone demanding their money back. In fact from what I saw, most people where doing what I was doing, and that was ordering their 2024 Finals packages from their phones on the spot. And as bad*** as last year was.......2024 will be even better. Can't wait.

1982 is my favorite. It's the first show I ever saw, and was a real game changer with Zingali's drill and that horn line. The beginning of what would become decades of dominance in the activity. 1982 really put the rest iof the drum cops world on notice. I marched Cadets starting in 1984, so I never watched that show live. But I suspect 1984 could be one of the best drum corps shows ever. I am devastated that I will never again get chills when I see the maroon and gold take the field.

Just an update on the recent march camp they had. After becoming a recent alum, contracted in 20, 22, and 23, I decided to drive to the camp site to see some old friends and see what the corps was doing. I was only able to make it to the end of camp but, luckily, I was able to listen to all of the music they had up to this moment. They only had 2 parts for the camp which went up to the ballad surprisingly which makes me suspect that the son lux residency will be the star of the back half of the production obviously. Part one is in your face and guns blazing with great energy due to temp AND technique! This book is already miles harder than 23 and I'm a little jealous I aged out in 23. The second part of part 1 gives me the feeling of Kinetic noise with its intense rhythmic challenges. Part 2, the ballad is just gorgeous. It reminded me as a brass player why I wanted to march this Line in the first place. Doug Throwers chord progressions and focus to writing as close to the source music as possible is just amazing. The lines tonal accuracy is phenomenal and dynamic shaping is just as strong. I am truly pleased to be on the other side of the field and once again be a fan of this organization and wish them all the best for this season!