spatula67

Just got back from the Niles, Michigan show. Had a great time till the tornado anyway ! The show officials did a good job of warning the corps & crowd about the impending bad weather. Sounds like everyone was safe. I really enjoyed all the corps that I did get to see. Here are a few thoughts: Gold - Very nice sound from a large brass section - counted 11 contras. Very talented flugelhorn soloist in the middle tune. Show got a great response from the crowd. Kept wondering to myself.... could this corps might be the next big corps from California ?? Blue Saints - very small corps once again, but performing pretty well. I think they just need a little more confidence in their ability & sell the show better. The drum line has two snare drummers who are featured - very talented kids. Les Stentors - This was the first time I had seen this corps in three years. Wow..what a shock. So much improved. Performing a fun 60's rock show complete with a "wipeout" percussion feature - a big hit with the crowd. A few individuals sticking out in the horn line but overall very nice. A five member guard but very talented and selling the show well. Colt Cadets - Saw this corps at Whitewater - very much improved since that show especially in the brass section. Battery plays musically & have a well written book. Colt Cadets always a crowd favorite in the open class did not disappoint again this year. great job ! Raiders - Nice upper brass ! Very sophisticated show design. Nice volume from a horn line with less than 40 performers. Pretty sure brass was the strongest section of the corps till the percussion feature - Holy Cow !. Nice well rounded corps. Loved the show. Legends - Never shy away from challenging their performers. Nice show concept that the crowd can relate to especially in the Midwest. Very nice low brass section & a much improved color guard this year. A huge response from the home state crowd. Music City - What a clever show design. Performing songs the average audience member can relate to but still presenting it in a new & fresh way - excellent. All areas of this corps are pretty strong. The color guard was a definite standout. One of my favorite shows of the year. 7th Regiment - Daunting task going on after the much bigger Music City but Regiment pulled it off quite well. Small horn line but have nice volume & play very musically. Genesis - My first viewing of this corps ever. They did not disappoint. Very complex show for the open class. I wonder what kind of damage this corps could do if they were full ?? I'm a fan. Bummed out that I couldn't see the rest of the corps. Someday I will get to see the O.C. perform - live ! photos from the show: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4465359833620.2185800.1278502144&type=1

Talked to my son on the phone last night who is a Blue Star trumpet. He said yes their were a few collisions but their is NO off the field drama going on. In fact most of them were laughing it up at the Subway restaurant near the stadium when I called. Sounds to me like a certain "Alum" has some sour grapes going on and is trying to stir up trouble where there is none.

Sometime in the early 90's, my wife and I were on the way to a DCI Regional in Bloomington, Indiana. Our car broke down on the interstate and since it was before the days of the cell phone we had to hike to the nearest house to use the phone. Luckily, a very nice & trusting lady let us in to use her phone and wait for help to arrive. She asked where we were going. I hesitated before telling her we were going to something called a "Drum Corps Show". Her jaw dropped - it turns out her daughter had been a color guard member of 27th Lancers for five years. What's the chances???

Suncoast Sound

Wow...this has that Indiana Eclipse kind of vibe going.....

I spent Sunday afternoon and evening with the corps in Centerville, Ohio. The kids had just spent 12 hours on the bus traveling from Atlanta. They had a short meeting and had sectionals for two hours. The corps seemed to be in good spirits despite their on-going transportation issues They were working very hard in their practice and the drumline was enjoying their new Mapex drums ( sound very nice !!) Sunday night they did laundry which gave us time to spend with our son who we had not seen since the Carmel show. I think Pioneer is going to keep fighting till the very last show. They are a great group of kids !

For a long time I've wondered what would happen if Pio had all of their winter camps in Chicago ? A good chunk of the corps already comes from Naperville & Romeoville and almost all the other kids either drive thru or fly into Chicago. I mean how many corps did Chicago support in the 50's, 60's & 70's ?? The corps could still use Pioneerland for everydays in the summer. I know they would not want to make a permanent move because of the bingo but they could do something similar to what Blue Stars and Madison are doing. just a thought........

Thank you for the kind words... you guys are a class act !

Kind of pointless to do a show about the Corps Prayer if they don't actually say it.....

Does anyone know if the corps even made it to Broken Arrow ?? I know they are having some bus issues and didn't make it to their housing site last night....but I can't find out anything today. I hope everything works out for them they have been doing so well !

I can't say for sure...but my son told me he wore his green uniform for the last time at Metamora.

Sounds like Pioneer-Nation will be out in full force at Naperville See you there....GO PIO !!!

We have been spending bun buster day with Pioneer. It was really cool to see the people of Cedarburg WI welcome the corps back "home". They really love the corps there. We have really enjoyed spending time with this great group of kids .

I was wondering the same thing......

Obviously, I would love to see Pio go ahead of Teal but I do have to admit Teal Sound is a mighty fine drum corps. I enjoy their show very much. I have a feeling Pio & Teal are in for a dogfight all summer.

I guess we will have to wait and see. I was at all the winter camps but one and I can tell you they have lots of very talented kids in the hornline and drumline. Kids that could easily get spots in top 12 corps. I admire these kids because they are staying at Pioneer because they believe in Pio and what the corps stands for. Best of luck to Pioneer you guys are awesome no matter where you place !!

Thank you for posting this......It made my day !!!!

Cool ! my son would've loved to have done this. That's his favorite trumpet player !!

The open class corps I was really impressed with last year was Music City. I think they will continue to improve and be even better this year.

Wow...that really looks cool ! Can't wait to see it on the field.

I told my son to march "INT" but he goes off and joins Pioneer..........I just don't know about kids these days !

I agree Curtis is a great kid. He had lots to do with getting my son involved in marching band. Good Luck and have fun !

A fat lady and a shark.......end of discussion.

I always enjoyed Florida Wave...very entertaining and loud hornlines also liked early '80's Geneseo Knights........

get my kid back and forth from his camps safely !