Cainan

In most corps, the uniform costs are built in to tour / member fees so that's pretty much a non issue. Did they get more equipment? Most likely as the corps has grown significantly in numbers.. would you prefer they played on Plastitrumpets to save money? And whether we like it or not.."keeping up with the Joneses" is a requirement in todays activities. Gone are the days when there were 300+ corps that could cater for all levels and needs. We have what.. about 45 (70 if you include DCA) corps left... all vying for the cream of the crop talent wise... I aged out of Freelancers in 92... Both BDB and Vanguard Cadets would have EASILY made finals back in my day. Back then, BDB and Vanguard Cadets marched corps sizes of around 50... today each are at the 150 level. The performers are still out there, but there are less corps to attract them, hence the corps HAVE to present a package that those performers want to go to. As for the performers in Legends.. why should they have to have their summer ruined because of this? They've done nothing to deserve this.

In my opinion? DCI should employ an independent accountant... with ZERO ties to the activity... to look at finances and say what each corps CAN and CANNOT do... regardless of what class they are in. If they look at Blue Devils books and say nay, then nay it is.

Stu... you were involved with the Freelancers a number of years ago no? Well... that corps was pretty much flat broke from 87 on through to 95 when they eventually folded. Had the management said from the get go how bad off they were financially... NOBODY would have pitched up and we would not have gotten 8 more seasons out of that corps. Granted, a different set of circumstances but the bottom line was they had hardly any money, but the admin there worked the corps finances on a month by month basis (sometimes week by week or even day by DAY basis) to keep the corps around. Now eventually, California gaming laws and Cache Creek casino did them in for good. None of us know the day to day finances of the corps. By all accounts the management has been pretty sound up until now. To be fair, they DID in fact pretty much double in size from just 3 years ago. The drum corps competitive product is MUCH different from back in our day. If you want to be successful, you DO have to emulate success. Keeping up with the Joneses is not a luxury, it's a requirement. If you don't have a product the performers want, those performers WILL go somewhere else... so yeah.. ###### if you do and ###### if you don't.

###### if you do and ###### if you don't... Put that message out in February and nobody turns up for auditions because they think your corps isn't secure. I appreciate that all the corps are individually run, and that DCI is a facilitating body for marketing and contests, but DCI SHOULD and DOES have say over who attends their shows. DCI SHOULD be looking at corps finances BEFORE they finalise the schedules.

WHOOPS! (Fixed)

Knowing people that are in leadership positions in both the Blue Devils and Vanguard organisations, I can absolutely assure you that they do NOT have unlimited resources.. anything but. What the DO have is competent, BUSINESS MINDED managers that are able to make business minded decisions for the organisations involved. There's a reason why their WC corps stay out west as long as they do... it's to help lower costs to the organisation as a whole to allow the OC to go to Indianapolis. Also there are really smart sponsorships and partnerships etc.. but they do not have magic money trees growing behind the corps halls. It's no coincidence that they have 110 years of combined existence behind these two organisations. I genuinely hope that Legends can get through this and see out the season and I genuinely hope that IF they do, that lessons are learned and quickly.

Just watched Denver again... OMG I love this show so much! It is engaging for the entire length of the show and 8:50 onwards is boss!

10 horns... All the more amazing. I stand corrected. As a Freelancers alumni, I hope with all I have that Mandarins make finals. Freelancers and Mandarins were very close back in the day. We used to come to attention for each other at retreat and I specifically remember Mandarins in the stands on multiple occasions shouting the Freelancers famous "Andele Andele!!" All I can say is... Hey Mandarins.... PLAY BALL!!!!

Success isn't a stranger to this corps... lest we forget their SEVEN world championship titles in A-60 / DIII and their one world championship in DII. One of those championship years (92 I think) they won DIII, came 4th in DII and placed 26th in WOrld Class... Oh, did I mention they only had like 12 horns? An absolutely amazing corps!

Topic closed. Fake news...

No... I don't think so.. That Cadets show has legs... it's just dirty. If they can clean it, then I say they pretty much two point Boston the whole year.

Irregardless of what a CONTEST DIRECTOR says.. its rude. At the very least, bring the stuff on from the back corner.. NOT IN FRONT of the corps and between them and the crowd. Perhaps more time for set up needs to be allowed. If I were in the stands, I would have found this terribly distracting.

Something that I have noticed myself a few times now and has been mentioned in a few other places... Bluecoats need to respect other corps performances and NOT go onto the field until it is their allotted time to do so. Yes, I get that they have a lot of props and that they take time to set up, but that was their choice. Last night at Minnesota, they were 10 yards into the field before Brandt even called out "SANNNNCLRAAAVANGAAAAD" at the end of the show. If I were a Vanguard member I would feel a bit disrespected by such a move as that my time to allow the audience to appreciate what me and my corp mates just delivered.

First off.. condolences to the drivers family and thoughts and prayers to those involved and injured. Let's also not forget the Phantom Regiment members and staff as well. If what I have read is true that these were the food truck volunteers, then these are especially special people to a drum corps. They are the absolute lifeblood that keeps the corps going. They are also usually the ones that kids go to when they are down as they are often viewed a surrogate moms and dads on the road and they often view themselves in the same light. I am absolutely gutted to read about this and hope for nothing but the best for the entire Phantom Regiment organisation.

Sunday, July 2 Clifton, NJ Carolina Crown - 75.8 The Cadets - 72.9 Crossmen - 70.0 Spirit of Atlanta - 64.5 Colts 63.9 Jersey Surf - 55.9 La Crosse, WI Bluecoats 76.9 The Cavaliers 73.5 Boston Crusaders 71.2 Blue Stars 70.0 Madison Scouts 69.9 Troopers 65.9 Riverside, CA Santa Clara Vanguard - 75.5 Blue Devils 75.45 Blue Knights - 73.2 Phantom Regiment - 70.5 Mandarins - 69.5 The Academy- 66.7 Pacific Crest - 63.5 Monday, July 3 Cranston, RI Carolina Crown 77.5 The Cadets - 74.5 Crossmen - 70.5 Colts - 65.0 Spirit of Atlanta - 64.7 Genesis 57.9 Jersey Surf 57.0 Cedarburg, WI The Cavaliers - 74.0 Boston Crusaders - 72.5 Madison Scouts - 71.5 Pioneer - 50.0 Mankato, MN Bluecoats - 80.0 Blue Stars - 75.5 Troopers - 69.9 Mesa, AZ Santa Clara Vanguard- 79.5 Phantom Regiment- 74.5 The Academy 70.5 Tuesday, July 4 Lynn, MA Carolina Crown - 80.5 The Cadets - 76.9 Crossmen - 73.5 Colts - 69.5 Spirit of Atlanta - 68.5 Genesis - 62.5 Jersey Surf 58.9

Will be real interesting to see the Mandarins v Academy matchup. With Crest going on between them, It will give the judges a relatively clean look at both corps. I still think that Mandarins show has a far better design and is far more demanding, but Academy is performing at a higher level. Mandarins have had a few days to clean though. Will be interesting to see...

This is a corps that is very young, but has been retaining its members, and for those that haven't been paying attention... they have been markedly improved year on year for about 4 years now. Underestimate this corps at your peril. Can't wait to see what they come out with!

Freelancers 87-92 here... Yeah.. I heard that story a few years later. If ever there was a gentleman in this activity it was Parker Silva. Every one of the kids that ever put on a Freelancers uniform was one of his kids. He could show kindness and compassion, but like any good parent, he could also show tough love when needed. The man was a decorated WW2 Navy veteran. He would have had a ZERO tolerance for drugs.

Apples and oranges my friend... The Commandant's Own is a military band. Their mission is military first and foremost. They are mostly a ceremonial and recruitment tool.. as such, military tradition and bearing is at the center of everything they do.

Trying to think of which other corps you could have used that exact same description for and only one comes to mind... The Academy.

From a Freelancer alum.... Hey Mandarins... ANDELE ANDELE!! PLAY BALL!! It's about time a Sacramento corps was back playing on Saturday night! After watching you guys at Stanford... you have the show.. you have all the tools. THey are right there for you to use. Work hard.. work smart. Stay healthy and most of all... HAVE FUN! I am pulling for you guys BIG TIME!!

SPATS!!!! We wore spats in 87.. when they came off in 88 it was like... HALLELUJAH!!

Hated them at first.. they are growing on me now...

As a Kidsgrove alum (who got swept by CO last season) I went to Barnsley not wanting to like this show... but I did. It's clearly been written with DCI in mind and if they can get it clean I feel they will definitely be in the hunt for an Open Class finals place. But that's the big "if". IF they can get it clean. As a previous poster mentioned, here in the UK, we are weekend corps. We simply do not have the schedule that allows for cleaning like DCI corps do. THat said, its a nicely written show that I think the American audiences will enjoy.

Yes, I realise that technically, they are an "International Class" corps but they are competing and being judged on the Open Class sheets when they come over to America. Anyways, here's their first show from last weekend in Barnsley UK... The Company 2017 / Tomorrow... It's Just Around The Corner