oldguard

... and I was one of them! Another thing I enjoyed was seeing the new uniforms this year. Somehow they combined both the contemporary look of sleek and long black legs that appears to be so popular at the moment and yet they also gave a nod to tradition. The neckline definately said "Dutch Boy" and "proud of it". :)

Thanks for the update. Best wishes to one of my favorite corps.

Absolutely! Each season and every memory is pretty much what you chose to make it. Of course, having such a high level of performance on the field that we all saw last summer makes it pretty easy to ensure it will be a good one. I have found that giving each individual show the attention it merits never fails to make it memorable in some way. More Memorable Moments: Blue Saints "wedding favors" and lively entertainment ... the Carmen Sandiago show(one of the only things that perturbed my even-keeled grandson is that he only got to see this show once ... he had a hard time with the elimination process in the prelims and semis ... he kept asking me WHY couldn't everyone have one last shot in the finals) ... the beautifully painted scenes on the front screens in the Raiders show (after those beige things had annoyed me all summer) really added something to their wonderful show ... the impact and presentation of Southwind's light/dark theme (after all these months I still have a photo clear picture in my head of how their opening formation looked in the bright and dark shadows on the setting sun in the trees behind them in the Nashua Show) ... that great cymbal spinner in the alumni corps at the Bridgeport show, wow, just an old school thrill ... Oregon Crusaders bass line ... Revolution's Bulgarian dance music (my personal favorite "dance" uniforms and sequence of the year) ... standing in the crowd outside the stadium one time and listening to my grandson rave on and on to three guys (he'll talk to anybody who will listen, something my daughter gets really concerned about, I had to promise numerous times not to lose him ... yeeech, I never lost her) about the Madison Alumni corps and tradition and their awesomeness and the grins just kept getting bigger and when he finally wound down they told him they were alumni Scouts and he asked to shake their hands ... okay ... so he's a little like me ... I will type on and on to anyone who will read ...

In response to a private question: Please excuse me for posting the response to a private message on the public forum. I would feel uncomfortable exchanging private communications with a young person over the internet. About your ballad ... It is all about heart. Your ballad was the heart of your show and a few measures into it, you connected as a corps and your hearts were wide open and the resulting performance was truly memorable. At the risk of seeming pretentious I am going to quote myself in case you missed this previous post of mine. Shortly after returning from Madison I wrote the following on the Div II/III boards: 'Passion … Jersey Surf … You put your heart and soul into this one and it was simply beautiful. You worked so hard and came so far. At the finals you played the best ballad I heard all year … in any division. Your flags were … you know I’ve forgotten if they’re green or they’re blue. Anyway, the thing is what I really mean is yours was the sweetest show that I saw in Div II this year. And you can tell everybody this was your song. And now that it’s done, I hope you don’t mind that I’ve put down into words … how wonderful life is when you’re in the show.' A month later I can still sit here and recall vividly that feeling. Near the end of the show I was watching your guard in the front of the field as they turned and danced out for the closer. The joy you felt in performing was clear on your faces and in every movement; it was clear in your music, too. That kind of passionate commitment to performance reaches out and touches the people in the stands. I suspect you already know this and are just looking for validation that someone in the audience felt it, too. It is why I write reviews. To say thank you for your gift of performance. May you always feel that passionate commitment to excellence on the field and in all areas of your life. Best wishes to you and to your corps for the future.

ahhh ... hmm ... bari_benzo is a good guy

My first inclination here is to say that I think that a novice or Div IV class is a good idea. Anything which puts kids who want to march on a field where people can see them sounds like a plan to me. However, I dn not wish to fan any flames. What we really need tn find here is some comman ground. Afterall, we would not even be reading this thread if we were not interested in such. Some one want to try to say something on which we can all agree?

This is true ... although I have discovered that many current marching members have learned this and a great many of them choose to march Div II and III. More Honorable Mentions ... those beautiful poignant horn statements in Boston Crusader's show, Crossmen's ballad, St John's neon drums, Blue Stars return to Div I, Yamato's water element, Old Man River, my grandson standing in awed attention everytime a uniformned corps passed by ...

Reflecting on the past season, the following are the Top 10 most memorable moments for me: 1) the look on my grandson's face when he put his arm around my back as we stood on the top row of the lower deck in Madison watching the stadium slowly empty and I looked down at him and he said, "Thanks, Grandpa.", 2) Phantom Regiment's Finals performance, 3) Spartans' Finals performance, 4) the Madison Alumni Corps' performances, 5) the Nashua Show with my granchildren for their first drum corps experience, 6) the Bridgeport Show with my grandson and his buddies, 7) Crown's Finals performance 8) Jersey Surf's ballad at Finals 9) watching my grandson watch Scout's "Primal Forces" Show (he loved that show) 10) Spartans playing "Fire of Eternal Glory" for themselves after the crowd was gone in CT ... and a few Honorable Mentions in no particular order ... the Allentown Show with my old buddies; the amazing and masterful performance of the Cavaliers at Finals; Bluecoat's ballad; playing "Name That Corps" from all my many drum corps cd's with my grandson on the long ride to and from Madison; Oregon Crusaders; "Take the A' Train"; taking a break on I&E Day to go play at the waterpark with my grandson only to have him talk a family of five from Iowa who had never heard of drum corps into attending the Div II/III FInals on Saturday (they had a great time); discovering Spokane Thunder; Jubal; playing duets on my old horns with my grandson around a campfire in the wilds after Madison; Citations making Div II/III SemiFinals; seeing Academy for the first time; going through all my old drum corps stuff in the attic with my grandson on that last rainy afternoon before I brought him home; reading some of the messages from corps members after a show review ... I could go on forever ... Thanks, everyone, for a really good summer.

I voted "other". I believe that Division II/III corps are drum corps and that as such they should have equal status and equal opportunity with all other corps. I believe that the same scoring sheets should be used for everyone. I do think the scoring system needs to be reworked. I do believe that there should be some distinctions in recognitions in individual shows based according to size and touring status. In other words, medals for "categories" at shows, such as corps with under-60 members, with 60-100 members, and over 100 members. Once a corps has over 100 members, they should be able to win any show, anywhere, any time based upon their performance. I would be in favor of central support of "regional" circuits for corps who are not ready to travel great distances. I do not belive that corps with small memberships should be kept off the field of competition at all. If they have a show I want to see it. Let them compete or, if they prefer, allow the "exhibition only" option at all shows. I believe any financial rewards should be divided on a "per member" and "per mile" basis for all performing corps. In terms of the World Championship, I think any corps should be able to compete in an open class for the top honor if they have a minimum of 100 members and have performed in a minimum of 25 shows, regional or otherwise. This is pretty much a capsule of my personal thoughs on the subject, take it or leave it. I am just a member of the old guard.

It appears to me that there are plenty of kids like Laurel ... (Thank you, Laurel and the Laurels of the drum corps world) ... in Division II/III and it is truly a shame that more people do not get themselves into the stands to see them. The many corps that flourished in the 50's and 60's did so with local encouragement and local backing and how far they went was always determined by their vision, organization and local support. There will be corps who are not able to make the trip this year, just as there are every year in Div II/III. We will miss them. Taking the World Championships to California is, indeed, long overdue and I do not think anyone I know in the northeast is complaining. Most local corps people I have spoken with seem to view it is a great adventure ... the summer tour of a lifetime for the Div II/III kids. Those of us die-hard fans and corps will find a way to pack it up, fill the tank, take wing and go west. And, believe me, we are looking forward to it! See you in Pasedena. :)

Yes. Your ballad turned into something truly memorable. At the beginning of the year, it almost seemed like filler, a transition movement, except for the mello soloist. By the end, it seemed your guard really played musical muses. When the mello soloist saluted the audience with his horn in the Finals, the ensemble sound was so full it was pure magic. Your hornline had matured and blended was literally "heroic." The air under the lower deck "rang" with vibration. Also, I'm going to have to agree with the Phantom Regiment "every note" statement. Their entire performance was seamless ...the hornline was breathtaking from beginning to end ... the most musical drum corps show I have ever witnessed. And, Yes, to Crown's "spooky" moment. And, I'd like to add ... somewhere in the middle Bluecoat's ballad at finals the hornline grabbed me and held. It was the moment when the hornline took the melody and opened up. It soared. It had me holding my breath and I was misty eyed at the end.

Looking good, East Coast Jazz! See you on the field next summer!

Best wishes Northen Light! Here's hoping to see your show on the field near me this summer!

Indeed, it is great news for drum corps. ... and personally for this fan ... :) ... I really enjoyed their Pandora's Box show in 2005 and will be looking forward to seeing what they put on the field next summer. I am also wishing that another one or two Division III Canadian Drum Corps might return. Any word from Pride of the Lions or Les Stentors?

hmmm ... Someone in the dorm must have a scanner ...

... was more than enough for this die-hard fan. Thanks for the interesting read.

:D ... this would make my year ...

Wild Horses is on Charlotte Martin's On Your Shore album ... which I happen to have playing at this moment ... which is how this topic caught my eye ... interesting artist, amazing, well-trained voice, nice piano player ... Rolling Stines never sounded like this ... I had never heard of her until last winter when I was tracking down the Spartan's music for 2006 and heard her on the Advent Rising website singing the vocals ... I ended up buying this album ... Hmmm ... I do not usually read the Guard Forum ... and have not seen WGI in years ... I can just visualize that this must have made for an outstanding winterguard performance ...

Yes. Thank You, Phantom.

"cool beans" :) Seriously ... Congratulations and best wishes ... to the future Mr and Mrs Bari_benzo and ... to the future Mrs and Mrs Phirefenix. May you have as many and more happy years as Mr and Mrs Susantaylor40, to whom I send a very Happy 22nd Anniversary and a wish for many, many more to come.

Only 12 horns ... seemed like more up in the audience ... must have been very well staged and they definately put out a good sound. Guard did do a nice job ... flags were eye catching, particularly the red/white ones. As I recall there was good music coming out of the pit, too. Battery seemed pretty tight to me. A solid show and you could tell they were all enjoying it out there. No question that this was musically sound. All in all, this was a fine take on the theme, too. "Kenny" was good, clean fun. I'm already looking forward to seeing next year's show and hope you get a performance or two in in New England before you head west.

Happy recruiting. Many talented kids in this corps already. I really enjoyed Dutch Boy's show this past summer and the new uniforms are sharp. May everyone at Dutch Boy have a wonderful and successful 30th Anniversary year.

I just knew it. I could see it in your eyes. :) ... I have to offer an apology and an explanation to the many people who have private messaged me with thanks over the last year or who have asked "who is this guy?' or "it would be nice to chat with you sometime" or who have invited me to "drop by the busses after the show." I am sorry. Please excuse me. I do not mean to be rude. I have really thought about this and have decided that I enjoy being anonymous. I think it gives me a better perspective as a reviewer and enables me to offer encouragement to more young people. I am really a pretty private person and would never be comfortable as a corps groupie or hanger-on. Last year, though, I apparently said just enough that I was able to re-unite with two guys I marched with over 30 years ago. It has been great seeing them again and debating the current scene. Both of them read these boards but seldom, if ever, comment. They are amused by my efforts. But I really do feel the need to tell the current marchers what a great job you are doing and how proud and happy I am to see you out there pouring your heart and soul into the effort. Thank you, all, for taking your passion for drum corps to the field and creating all those memorable performances and for continuing the long line. ... Now ... back to topic ... how about a few more of those great pictures ...

1, 2, 3, 4, I love drum corps :)

Look into their faces and you will see what they have won ... Look into their eyes and you will see what is in their hearts ...