chadwick

Any word on Spirits cymbal player?

Just returned home from the show. Some thoughts while they are still fresh: I haven’t read through this thread but was it an off night for soloists for many corps? I’ve walked on the field and the turf is insanely thick - that was evident in watching many corps struggle with their props. Favorites for me include SCV, Crown, Boston, Blue Devils, Mandarins, Spirit, Pacific Crest. Guards are amazing this year!! The long walk from the warm up in the Marshaling Yard to the MBS for the corps is very long. Some have commented it will get shorter next year but it won’t. The construction in the GWCC docks this year doesn’t make the trek any longer. Disappointed in the crowd, not as in to it as I hoped (except from Crown on). I was right on the 50 in Section 237 and I couldn’t believe how empty it was until the top 6. Food prices are great but the service horrible in the Harrahs Club. 15 minutes wait for a hotdog, out of salads, tasteless pretzel. Unless you wanted chips with nacho cheese or ice cream you were out of luck.

Any update on the symbol player who got injured during the show? I felt so horrible watching them in distress on the field but relieved when they got up. Hoping the injury is minor and they can finish the season!

See my post on page 6 in this thread.

Beers are real cheap too. Food cheap as well.

Yes, definite yes on free drink refills.

Corps warm ups will still be in the GWCC Marshaling Yard and Yellow Parking lot like they were in the past (a bit further walk than the Dome was). A bit different than when the show was at the Dome, corps will have initially warm up in the lot then head across the street through GWCC loading docks for a final warm up inside GWCC exhibit halls (public not allowed in there) then they head through docks to MBS docks.

Different stadium so hopefully the new MBS won’t do the same as the GA Dome several years back.

I really doubt they will fall out but I do wonder based on recent scores if Blue Knights should be more in this discussion. While 2 points ahead of Academy last night in El Dorado they basically tied the same scores of Crossmen st a different show. Again, probably not going to happen but at the same time, they shouldn’t sit to easy where they are at right now. Can’t wait to see the San Antonio spreads on Saturday!

Today’s St Louis show will tell us so much as we will get a good read on spreads between just about every corps that is in that mix (missing Troopers and Academy). I wonder how much performance order will come into play though. I just hope it stays nice and tight all the way up until Indy as that will build up so much excitement. I see Phantom 9, Mandarins 10, Blue Stars 11, Crossmen 12 with Spirit in 13, Madison 14, Colts 15, Academy 16 and Troopers 17.

Spirit Boston

I'm looking for 3 tix for both Semis and Finals. Please send me an IM if you are looking to sell to three super-diehard fans from Atlanta really hoping to go this year (2 have never been to Finals, and I haven't been since 2009)! Thanks!!

Wasn't expecting what I saw for Madison but really like them. I agree this doesn't have the Madison Look but excited to see how this uniform looks with the context of the show.

It would be great to see some more corps out of Canada again but based on the size of Les Stentors and Blue Saints, I guess there isn't much interest. It is a shame that so many Florida corps that seemed so promising floundered. Of anywhere in the country, I feel this is an area that could produce a strong corps quite quickly if done right. While I would love to see more and more corps come on the scene, I don't want it to take away from some of the newer ones that are getting there bearings still. In other words, I would hate to see too many new corps start up too close together that they just cannibalize each other's membership numbers and therefore, struggle to improve.

Great to hear! They both went to Spirit of Atlanta, correct? I thought I read that they did but didn't march...could be wrong though.

DCI reserved a portion of the Georgia World Congress Center (the convention center) Marshaling Yard for bus parking and warm-ups. The corps walked from here to the Dome which isn't a super close walk, but not that far either. This is not at all close to GA Tech's Bobby Dodd stadium. CrownBariDad is correct, one of the events at the GWCC that weekend allowed DCI to use loading docks outside one of their rented exhibit halls for prop/equipment unloading and loading. The loading docks were insanely busy that weekend. If DCI performs at the new stadium (a bit further away from the GWCC Marshaling Yard) it will be interesting to see how all of this is managed. I don't think the corps will be able to walk from the marshaling yard to the new stadium. I'm really curious to hear what the higher-ups at DCI are considering for 2017 and beyond. The Atlanta Regional is their highest attended event outside of Finals at Indy. Moving this outside of Atlanta could potentially be a huge blow to attendance figures.

The site the Georgia Dome sits on will likely become a new hotel (800-1,200 room) that is connected to the GWCC. This is still in the very early planning stages so many renderings show the current Dome site a parking lot which it may be for some time until they are ready to go to construction. The GA Dome will come down after the 2016 NFL season though I think this will be a fairly lengthy process given the proximity to the new stadium, the GWCC (lots of glass!), and the MARTA train that runs underground very close to the GA Dome. There is an agreement between the State of GA (who manages the current GA Dome) and the Falcons (manager of new stadium) that they must host the 'GA Dome Legacy Events'. This includes Monster Jam, Supercross, SEC Football Championship, Chick-fil-A Bowl, and others. I have not been able to find out if this includes the DCI Southeastern Regional (or the Bands of America Regional also held at the GA Dome every fall). The new stadium will also be the home stadium for the new Atlanta major league soccer team. Their schedule (along with the Falcons obviously) take precedent over all other events. I hope the Falcons see the value of the DCI event which brings in just under 20K in attendance and concession sales for a quick event (one move-in day, one event day with no additional move-out day).

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Great news indeed! Now I hope they can find a very strong director for the corps and fill that position quickly.

Paying for an office was not within the budget for SOA from 2011-2013 and the corps director then, Dr. Snead, retrofitted a portion of his own home to serve as the SOA office. Man I miss him being at the helm of SOA!

1st - SCV (as others have said, THAT SOLIST!!) 2nd - Crown 3rd - The Academy 4th - Blue Knights 5th - Bluecoats HM - Cascades What I thought would be in my top 5 - Phantom Regiment - I LOVE Clair de Lune and was super pumped about them playing this. While I enjoyed it, I feel it just never hit that climax the audience expected.

Never mind, just read in the other SOA thread that JW is gone.

And back on topic.... Can someone bring me up to speed with what has happened exactly? I've read over the posts in this thread but not really getting what has happened in terms of did someone resign? Someone get fired? Read that 'It has been confirmed' and "It did happen" but don't see what it is that happened.

My number one favorite show this year - Crown After that my next four would be (in no particular order): The Academy SCV Mandarins Bluecoats Honorable Mention: Blue Stars, Cascades, Colts Just didn't do it for me (common theme, singing - but it wasn't just that): Boston Crusaders Crossmen Troopers

Congrats to BD guard for winning but man, that really surprised me. They had 4 drops on the ladder exchange alone. I also don't understand how the kpop dance section awarded them any points. That was the simplest dance moves. They sure can handle the equipment but I was disappointed in the overall programming of their guard this year.