oldguard

I with you on this one, FrontierDirector! How was Open House, Mr. Citation? There was a nasty, driving rain here at one point in the afternoon. Hope this did no detriment to your turn out there. Best of luck in the coming year, Citations.

I'll be right there at the head of the line to buy a ticket to a show featuring those eight corps anyday. There are other factors which will likely change this, too ... ... corps such as Impulse or Fever, who dropped to Div III for last year, getting membership numbers back up to be in Div II again, .... one or more of the other Div III corps gaining enough members for numbers to boost them into the next division ... Revolution or Raiders could easily do this and would be, in my opinion, quite competitive in Div II, ... one of those great Canadian corps growing in leaps and bounds ... here's hoping ... ... one of those wonderfully refreshing International corps joining the scene for the end of season ... ... one of the start-up corps having big turn-outs ... who knows? ... it could happen ... This is one of the things I really enjoy about Div II/III ... the changing of the guard. I'm looking forward to a great summer. :) [Edit ... eh ... those typos ...]

Ah, yes! This is the piece of information I needed. I couldn't put my finger on what would be the benefit of ending early in the week, besides the "Wednesday Night under the Lights" factor. Thanks for putting this missing thought back in my head. I did like to see the opportunity for advancement. I believe it added an interesting wild card to the festivities of the week. Of course, they would have to use the same scoring sheets again, too. So many considerations ...

May good fortune smile on this worthy endeavor and may you meet with great success. Viva!

I found this to be an interesting, highly entertaining ... and insightful ... read. I recall also a comparison of east coast/ west coast cymbal styles that you wrote a month or so back that really made me think. Thanks for adding your thoughts ... ... just adding my thoughts :)

Congratulations! May you have a great run!

Please excuse one more public response to a private message from a corps member: I am truly touched that you feel my reviews have encouraged you and your corps in a performance. It certainly makes my day. Please always remember, though, that most people in the stands who have enjoyed your performance will never visit DCP or write a review. They are the people who stand and applaud at the end of your show as you pass in review. We are the nameless faces in the crowd who come because we just love to see you march. Thank you. I am really looking forward to seeing what you bring to the field next summer. May you have a great year

I cannot speak for any corps, but I know that the stands at Division I Finals are filled with many members of corps who are given arm wristlets to admit them to fill the empty seats in the outer seating areas. I certainly hope that all Division II and III members are able to partake of this wonderful opportunity. I suggest you address this question to the people at your prospective corps for a definitive answer.

I'm hoping this will become reality. I just can't believe sometimes how much good drum corps some people overlook who claim to be "real" fans. Is there a head-scratching icon? Insert here. I did notice last year on the boards that those folks who took the time to get to Camp Randall early enough to see the whole show were suitably impressed and said they would be back for the Div II/III shows next year.

I agree. Excellent choices. Especially for Revolution. They have the sound and depth musically to do a wonderful job with this. I enjoy orchestral music on the field and Alberto Ginastera has played out well before. I'm trying to think if I have ever heard Silvestre Revueltas in a show. I'm thinking not ... but maybe. His music should add a lot of impact. I'll be looking forward to more press releases and to seeing Revolution on the field next summer. Sounds like another great year, Revolution. :)

It surprises me that people are still reading my ramblings ... maybe it shouldn't though ... I think that you are right and that there are many, many kids marching today that need to hear sometimes that their efforts have made a positive impact and impression upon their audience. It doesn't take an expert to write a review about what they enjoyed in a particular show. I am not a great expert on today's drum corps technique and sometimes I mix up the specific details about a particular corps' show ... a couple of reviews I wrote in the early season on Citations and Jersey Surf come to mind ... but no one from these corps ever called me on my errors, because I think they knew that my intent was to encourage them and thank them for their show. Thanksgiving is coming up ... ... maybe a few of us who were in the stands could take the time to write a few words of thanks to the kids who chose to march last summer.

March where you love to march and in the end you will never have any regrets ... only great memories

cool beans B) I've checked the maps ... Rose Bowl is about 4 and 1/2 miles from PCC ... not bad at all. Nice that they are going to provide shuttles. Good idea. But I will find a way to avoid those shuttles ... oh, yes, I will. I think, bari benzo, that you may have inadvertently caused quite a stir today in some offices with your post as quite a lot of people may have called DCI today at the same time and about the same concerns ... heh ... heh ... heh ... nice work! ... and now we have a nice, clear schedule posted on the DCI website so we can start to make our plans. Of course, maybe it is just a coincidence that DCI updated this page twice today. Thanks!

whoa ... (okay, I wasn't done for the day) ... I just hit this link again and the information has changed in the last hour .... http://pasadena07.dci.org/schedule/ No concern about I&E anymore, at least :) Can anyone shed some light on how the commute between Pasadena City College and the Rose Bowl may work? Positive suggestions for this out-of-towner would be much appreciated.

Ok, I'm done for the day, I have to get back to work. Whatever schedule is worked out in the end ... I will do my best to see every corps as many times as I can in every show I can attend during finals week, because I love drum corps. Have a good one, DCPers.

What really is important here is not to place "blame" or to start off on another "I hate DCI" thread. What really is important here is for people (corps members who have a concern) to encourage those who have the capability of changing matters (corps managers who have a concern) to find out what is actually being planned and discussed as to the schedule and to try to work something out which is favorable to everyone before things become set in stone.

It would be awesome for them to be under the lights. Would it be likely, though, that they could actually schedule all 18 corps under the lights? And if I&E starts at noon, would it be possible for kids to do both? I actually liked the way they did Div III and Div II Semifinals on different days last year. It was a shorter event to sit through and it gave each division the respect and credibility that they deserve.

No, it was not like this last year. And, yes, it is disappointing.

Hm ... As a fan, I admit that last year I did enjoy the format/schedule. I was able to attend all events (except I&E which I took as a "day-off" from drum corps) as they were all in Camp Randall ... easy, convenient. I parked once early in the day and ate between events near the stadium, saw a bit of Madison, etc. I do think it it too bad for the kids in the corps that the Div II/III events did not make it under the lights this way. Being under the lights in the big stadium is where everyone should get to perform. As a fan, I would be more that willing to give up a little convenience to allow the Div II/III events, especially Semi-Finals and Finals, to take place as much as possible under the lights. Moreover, there had got to be families out there with kids in different corps in Div I and/or Div II/III. Something should be done to enable these folks to be everywhere. I have been watching the DCI website for 2007 information on days, times and locations and their schedule still says "TBD" for all the Div II/III events. http://pasadena07.dci.org/schedule/ There seems to be a couple of discrepancies with what I am seeing on the Blue Devils site. I wonder which is more accurate. Also, I do see one big problem with this schedule. Were they to actually schedule a Div II/III event on the same day as I&E, it seems to me that this would effectively eliminate participation from the members of these corps into the individual and ensemble competion. Corps directors would want everyone focused on the semi-final event. Someone needs to cry foul.

Nice website, Spokane Thunder ... first time I visited and I will be coming back frequently for updates on your news. Spokane Thunder was my 2006 "discovery corps" ... my favorite "new corps" (new for me) ... last year, as it was the first time I got to see you perform and I was impressed. I thought you had a really nice show design ... a story unfolded here well beyond the obvious and expected fire element. The emphasis seemed to be on rebirth and growth and I heard a lot of water flowing in your music. There was good staging to maximise your performance on the field. A good sized horn line, a competent percussion and a small, but very articulate, guard all added up to a very enjoyable show. You are one of the corps I am really hoping to see a little more of by my plan to swing through the northwest before finals week. Best wishes in the coming year, Spokane Thunder!

Open House / Free Clinics are a great way to go in my mind. :) What better way to get a feel for a corps than to work with the staff and other potential members ... just a fun, hands-on way for any young musician to spend a day. Have a great day, Impulse. Looking forward to your show next summer!

I'm ready ... to see VK on the field next year. :)

Thanks for the update. I've been reading all these announcements coming out of one of my favorite corps from New Jersey and I am really looking forward to seeing a big step up next year on the field. It looks to me like all the groundwork is being laid; all the pieces are coming together; all the preparations are being carefully made. I really saw a lot of improvement last year in drill design, marching technique, staging and in execution. Of all the corps I saw in the early season before Madison and then at finals week, I would say it was this corps which made the most changes, made the greatest effort to improve, challenged themselves the most from beginning to end. This is one hard-working group of people dedicated to giving their kids the best experience possible ... and this is one hard-working group of kids giving it their best. Good luck, Spirit of New Jersey. Go for it!

This does sound like a "cool" concept and a "fun" show. :) I really thought HYPE showed good technique and musicianship on the field last year. Very well done show. Classy looking corps with their gold sashes that complimented their shiny brass. I am looking forward to seeing these kids just get better and better. Have a great year HYPE and I hope I see you on a field near me in the early season.

Thanks for the update. Nice new website. Bright, clean and engaging ... much like the Oregon Crusaders themselves on the field. I just really loved your show last year. It was so well staged, well played, well excecuted. Yours is one of the shows I always search the boards for reviews in the early season because just I wish I could be there at the field. Maybe this year I will not have to wait for the last week of shows. :) I am making tentative plans for a drive cross country to the northwest so I can enjoy the natural beauty of the area again and I hope there will be a few shows I can catch along the way. Best wishes for a great year, Oregon Crusaders!