FTNK

That's exactly what we had in 2005 for the first Classic Countdown, and it was painful...I'm not denigrating the quality or historical worth of the 1974 Kingsmen, etc. but the video and audio quality was home-movie level. I think that's a big reason DCI has moved away from older shows in the Countdown.

PS: I can't wait to see The Cadets this summer, I'm sure they'll be amazing.

Like Nick said, it's really not like George has this enormous hard-on for narration and thinks it should be used in every show ever. He* just has been exploring it in the last few years, just like people explore different props or repertoire choices or guard costumes or staging ideas. If he decides that narration doesn't work as an element in a production he's not going to put it in just to have it there (or just to #### you off). In fact, if you watch the DVD commentaries (as I did this past weekend) George expresses some reservations about certain elements of the narration and vocal elements. From my perspective, as someone who has spent a summer in the company of George Hopkins and marched one of The Cadets' more controversial shows, saying that The Cadets will have narration as long as George is there is like saying The Cavaliers will roll on the ground as long as Michael Gaines is there. And guys, Nick's sister is a three year vet at this point! * A lot of people blame George Hopkins for every element of Cadets shows they don't like, when in reality drum corps is a highly collaborative art form in terms of design. In the case of 2006, that show was very much Marc Sylvester's concept and George wasn't necessarily always in agreement over many elements of the show design.

Eh, Rick Valenzuela went to Phantom a couple years ago. It happens.

Wasn't it basically like the corps uniform but with a white skirt? I think it might be based on the guard uniforms from 1987, but I don't know--does anyone else know? I'm sure their female DM this year will probably wear the standard DM uniform, but I think it would be interesting if she had a skirt--kindof old school, feminine, and classy.

Phantom + Webern = FTW!

Great topic! I was not a tuba player; I'm a music major on bassoon. I bought my own tuba from Ebay my senior year in order to learn and get into a corps. Practicing at home wasn't a problem and I took lessons from a local guy who had a music ed. degree in tuba. In college I didn't really have somewhere to store my horn (wasn't in the tuba studio and was too afraid to ask the prof if I could get a key, and their storage room was pretty full), so it took up most of my under-bed or closet space, and it was a real pain to put it together (it was an old King 2340 with a separate bell) and walk to the music building to practice. I was too afraid of getting yelled at for playing in the dorm, so I didn't really practice a ton. My 2nd yea of college I was getting read to audition for The Cadets. My dorm was much further away from the music building, so I ended up playing some in the dorm room. Only one person ever complained. Still, I didn't have much opportunity to practice, so I buzzed alot and memorized warmups, technique excercises by writing them out over and over, and fingering through them all the time. Probably hurt my focus in class, but it worked. I was also in marching band first semester and athletic band 2nd semester that year, mainly to keep my tuba chops up; sometimes I'd come to the music building late and take out the sousaphone to practice. A lot of times I would march a rep or a couple sets Cadets-style in college band rehearsal, just to keep my technique up, even if it sometimes did get me yelled at, or practice straght-leg marching while walking around campus. I also took tuba lessons from a grad student that year and occasionally borrowed the horn of my tuba major friend (who also marched 'Coats), though the horn was in C so everyone was a step higher than reality, though the fingers and partials were the same. I'd also occasionally steal a crappy Bb tuba from the method instruments storage room when people didn't lock it. I though about email someone in brass methods to ask if I could use their horn sometimes, but I figured they wouldn't have let me. So, basically, a lot of little stuff to get by; certainly not the 1 hour a day working on corps material that Gino wanted, but I got the job done.

Here's another one for me: 1998 Cadets. There's a lot of personal bias in that choice because a large number of the (awesome) instructors I had during my career aged out in '98, but that show is really awesome. I'll freely admit that I am a visual person and that drill is great and there are a ton of awesome moments. Jeff Sacktig considers it his best work ever, and the 2007 show has a lot of the same elements. Plus they performed it to the max, the drill is very clean, and they got a perfect score in marching.

Really? That's a fascinating new concept that we should talk about more!

I think a lot of people, like me, went to see Sweeney Todd and thought "####, that opening music would be a ###### opener," so it's good too see that. The show announcement is weird, like trying to out-Cadet The Cadets, but it sounds pretty awesome and it looks like BD is doing something besides their norm. Hopefully that perception pans out. I haven't been psyched to see a BD show in a long time but...I can has xitement for Blu Devs?

Amen, brother. There aren't any shows in Pittsburgh, PA this year; there had been one for years and a second in the last 3-4 years...now none :(

Bagpipes are freakin' loud. I always felt bad for the techs who are a few feet in front of the hornline for hours a day every day all summer...there's got to be some serious hearing damage there.

The Cadets, 2005 Such a creative show, and great design...Liquid is just plain one of the best openers ever, where they're playing rhythmic stuff with great control at pianissimo while running around (in extremely cool drill) at 196 bpm...then the extremely rapid crescendo to a glorious fff climax...simply fantastic, and reminiscent of Star in '93. This is followed by a great baritone solo... The ballad is probably the best designed ballad ever; Overture/New World from Dancer in the Dark is a great and powerful piece of music, and the guard is insane... I don't like the rest of the show quite as much but the entire program was performed to the highest level probably in the history of drum corps. This show is why I became a Cadet.

Looking forward to this show a lot. I loved their rep in 2007 and this looks even better. I've always wanted to see more minimalism in drum corps and figured SCV would be the corps to do it; they have the right combination of ability and sophistication (yea, I know about The Canyon in 99 and PR playing Glass and stuff like that). For the longest time I thought it would be cool for them to do a show about perpetual motion...then they did. Anyhow, here's hoping SCV gets top 3.

Something I've been wanting to say for a while... People criticize members a lot for changing corps, calling them heartless spoiled mercenaries and whatnot. I used to feel that way, and felt betrayed by people who left my corps for top corps. But the thing I realized is that where you march is a highly personal decision and it's not right to criticize and second guess people. I guess there could be a bit of selfish "mercenary" attitude out there, but I think usually people change corps because it's the best thing for them. I have no doubt that when I changed corps I did the right thing. I agonized about it a lot, but my old corps ended up going through hell that season and folding, and nothing I did could have changed that. I made the right choice by jumping off that sinking ship. Not every situation is that extreme, but the bottom line is that where you march is a very personal decision, the members themselves have to make the best decision for themselves (marching somewhere you hate just to be loyal doesn't help anyone) and people shouldn't assume that people are changing corps because of selfishness.

Star '91

Star 91

I think of it in terms of adaptation...on tour eating as much as fast as possible is an effective survival strategy...after tour's over that habit is still there, but it becomes maladaptive...also it's hard to keep in shape without someone yelling at you to run 12 hours a day...so I weigh 50 lbs more than I did when tour ended in '06.

When I heard they were doing "On the Waterfront" music, I thought it was interesting because Berstein has such a connection with Cadets. Anyway, I am looking forward to this show, at least now. Keep in mind that there's more to Rocky music than "Gonna Fly Now." The music from near the end of the fight, where Rock gets clobbered but ends up struggling to his feet (as Adrian comes into the arena), and when the fight is over and the crowd rushes into the ring, are probably my favorite parts of the movie, and I hope they use it. And people who dismiss shows in April are stupid.

I don't ususally like the Bluecoats but I am excited about this rep...The Boxer is my absolute favorite Simon and Garfunkel song... The cool solo in the middle is a combination of piccolo trumpet and pedal steel guitar...I wonder what they'll do with that.

I want to resist but....Star '93

I decided I needed to take summer classes so I could someday graduate with three degrees and that I needed to focus on my real instrument. Plus, I didn't think I could be fully committed to it, and Cadets requires a full spiritual commitment...sure, I missed a great year, and my only experience in Cadets was of a bad year, but my decision was better for me personally in the long run and at the end of the day it's just marching band.

2006 Cadets

dciguy01, is PR '01 your sentimental favorite because it was one of the first corps you saw? Anyway, '07 Crown.

Yea, everything is esoteric crap unless PR or Madison plays it...then it's :ninja: :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: