SCVAdagio

EDIT: Gone.

Many of you bought tickets from Ron in the past. If you want to find him this season: Ronald N. Gunn 312 Gifford St. Apt 709 Syracuse, NY 13204 Cell: 315-289-4553 insidetheforty@yahoo.com Snail address and cell are new. Email address is very old.

I want 2 tickets in 1R or 2R, rows 9 – 20, within 8 seats of the 50 (1R 12 – 19, 2R 1 – 8). I'll consider buying more than 2 if that's what it takes. If you want to swap tickets—me lower and you higher--I have an agreement to buy 2 of the 4 tickets in 1RR row 4 seats 11-14; seat 12 is directly on the 50--these seats are from Shawn McBride's ("On the 50") recent ad. I want to sit lower. If you want to sell, I'll do PayPal and pay the various fees (TM fees, PayPal fee, maybe FedEx if we decide it's worth it). I might stomach your making a profit. If you want to swap, I don't have Shawn's tickets yet. I should be able to get them 1.5 – 2.5 hours before the show. We can trade cell phone numbers and make a plan. My via-internet offer expires 11:30am CT Friday; I'll be on the way to the show and lose (easy) internet access. If I don't get this done in advance, I'll be in front of the stadium at least an hour before the show waving my tickets and / or trying to buy what I want. Sorry to effectively repost this, but the change in subject / title / description is important, and I don't see a way to delete my previous ad. Admins are free to delete my previous ad.

2nd Update: I posted a much clearer ad, given my new circumstances. You can ignore this. I'd delete this if I could find an option to do so. Admins are free to delete this (if there aren't replies). I re-posted to change the title and description based on slight changes in what I'm looking for. (Doesn't seem to be an option to change this title / descr.) [1st] Update: This is now a buy (wanted) OR a trade offer. I am almost certainly going to get 2 of the 4 tickets in 1RR row 4 seats 11-14 (Seat 12 is directly on the 50--these seats are from Shawn McBride's ("On the 50") recent ad). I still want to go lower, though, and it's likely someone would want to swap for a little higher. So, my revised ad: Looking for 2 (or more) Murfreesboro / Masters of the Summer Music Games / Tour of Champions tickets. I'll buy a few more than two if that's what it takes and they are close enough to what I want. I might buy 6. (I know I can sell extras at the stadium if need be. I don't get into ticket selling by choice, but I've had extra tickets many a time.) [As of the update, I'm less motivated to buy 6, but I still might.] My perfect seats would be 1R row 11 seats 15 - 16 or 2R row 11 seats 4 - 5--a little off the 50 and the aisle so I don't have people going up the aisle right next to me. (Yes, I know how low what I want is. I'm the king of the shoestringers.) Rows 8 - 20 and maybe 10 seats off the 50 would be good enough. I'm pretty intent and will pay at minimum face value and the TM fees and next day shipping (unless we decide we're ok meeting on show day) and PayPal fee. I might even let you make a profit. [i might still allow profit.] I'm usually up much later than you'll be, whoever or wherever you are. I'll try to dutifully hover around my PM box.

I have one extra ticket to Charlotte (Rock Hill) today and three open seats in my car leaving from Atlanta. I also plan to drive to finals and have three seats. For future reference, I go to most of the SE circuit -- Murfreesboro, Sevierville, Charlotte, Columbia, Jacksonville (AL), Valdosta, Birmingham, and Troy. (I've been in M'boro for the last two nights, so I'm partially recharging and partially boycotting the Georgia Dome right now ["right now" when I first posted this].) My often-times touring partner has a growing number of grandchildren and is becoming less consistent. He pulled out of Charlotte a few hours ago. It's been a lot of fun to have a touring partner, so I'd like more people to draw from. Let me know if you're interested today, for finals, or for future seasons. I'll leave for Charlotte (Rock Hill) by 1pm.

I have two tickets for Thursday--not near each other--and one ticket for Friday. I'd like to exchange cell phone numbers even if you're not sure, so I have several people to try to meet with one hour or two before showtime. The offer expires whenever I leave Atlanta for M'boro--by 1 or 2pm ET tomorrow. (If I don't have any response when I leave, I might go to a library in M'boro to check the net, but I don't want it to come to that.) For Thursday only, I have 1R (lowest level), row 16, seat 18 (one seat off the 50. I'm sitting on the 50 in seat 19), $43.72. The $3.72 are Ticketmaster fees and taxes that are marked on the ticket. For both Thursday and Friday, I have 1RR (main upper level, not club), row 21, seat 12, $40 per night. The $40 ticket is from a friend who is a Friend of DCI. He's sick and can't go. No fees are marked on the ticket. He's sat there for years. I can look up my records of the stadium, but I think it's safe to say that it's on the 50 or extremely close. Send me a DCP private message if you're even somewhat interested, and I'll read this thread, too. I'd like to exchange cell phone numbers with several people, and I'll go down the list in first-response order tomorrow (and Friday, if need be) when I get to M'boro and see whom I can meet with in time. If anyone wants to tag along with me from Atlanta, I'm open to that. I have three empty seats in my car. Or, if you want someone to go with you and help pay for gas, I'm open to that, too. I have a two-bed hotel room reserved for both Thursday and Friday at the Motel 6 along the Interstate in M'boro. If we drive up together and are getting along, we can share the room.

Two thumbs way down on sound for me, too. I was at Regal Mall of Georgia in Buford. I've already complained in person and in writing to the theater, and I've written DCI. Beyond a major volume problem, the sound was otherwise dead. I don't think it was stereo, let alone 5.1 surround sound. The side / rear speakers didn't seem to be doing anything. On a system I bought in October used for $50 (probably $200 new), I can hear the roar of the crowd in the rear speakers just after Phantom finishes. From my own system, I finally understand what 5.1 should sound like. There was none of that lively effect at the theater. I asked them to turn the volume up, but they didn't. I talked to the manager afterwards. She said that they got the request, but the projectionist said it couldn't be turned up more--whether due to (alleged) audience comfort or (alleged) speaker damage, the manager didn't know. As others have mentioned, either one of those is bunk. Could the producers of the Countdown increase the corps' volume by lowering the volume of the commentary relative to performances? By which I mean: the commentary was plenty loud enough, but the corps were way too soft. I suspect that the projectionist was setting the volume based on the commentary, not the performances. Hopefully the producers can adjust that in the future, but, even if not, if the projectionist has to sit there the whole time adjusting volume, that's what they need to do. For the record, there were roughly 50 people there, but there were a lot of screens in metro Atlanta--at least 10 screens within roughly 30 miles of downtown.

The cut version was shown in the theater last night, for the record.

I could try to clarify what I meant, but it's not important. There was sarcasm in some of my comments. I apologize for the sarcasm. It's not helpful. DCI / PR did what they had to do. I'm not blaming them. The first thing that comes to mind is "amicus curiae" ("friend of the court") briefs. That's when third parties "chime in" on in-court litigation. The analogy isn't perfect, but third parties do involve themselves. Let me re-state my most basic point in terms of set theory. Take two sets, A and B: Set A = The set of all actions regarding this matter taken by DCI / PR and that they will take the future. Their already-done actions were tightly constrained by time, manpower, money, etc. They need to move on to next year and otherwise move on with life--quite reasonable. As for actions in the future, my sense from my conversation with DCI is that this is a null subset--they consider the matter closed. Set B = Certain actions regarding this matter that can be taken by anybody in the future. This is far less constrained by time because it involves the future--months, perhaps years. This is less constrained by manpower because anybody could make an attempt. The "certain actions" in this set are those that are deemed to be very unlikely to do any harm but may do some good. Perhaps "deemed" means blessed by higher ups at DCI and PR. Simply put, how can anyone say that everything that can be done has been done?

Thoughts: 1. First of all, who said anything about scathing and irate? We have to be very careful not to let irate show. I'm not sure what emotion, if any, should show, until I know more about what's going on. 2. As I said, in the end, it has to be a job to DCI and PR. They have convinced themselves that what they did will suffice. Perhaps they don't want to trouble the community, or it didn't even occur to them. 3. As I said, 2CoolVK has rightly pointed out that I / we should get more information from the highest levels of DCI and PR before doing anything, because I / we might make it worse. I'm hearing that. The term "synchronization" refers to old-fashioned movie making, so it seems that it would affect the Classic Countdown. Even if it did not, what we already know and what's already happened is enough for me to consider actions to take. I'll try to remember to add the Classic Countown question to my list for PR/DCI, though.

My roommate has been a rock guitar player for 30 years. He has 15 vinyls, cassettes, and CDs registered with BMI, which is the company the Tjeknavorian piece is registered with, assuming we're talking about Tjeknavorian. He owned a recording studio. My roommate is saying go for it. Does his experience make him an expert? He knows more than I know, and maybe more than you do. If you know something more, I'm happy to listen. As for not knowing the specifics of his particular case, that's what I'm trying to find out. Obviously all of the people at PR and DCI love the activity, but, I speculate that, in the end, it has to be a job to them. At some point, they have to give it up. They have to move on to next year. Some of us fans may have more time to try to help. We don't even know yet whether it's the publisher or the composer himself--an artistic issue or a money issue. If it's the composer himself, he's already said no, so I'm not sure what harm there is in trying to persuade him. If it's a publisher, what if several thousand fans put in a good word? I conceded in my previous post that it's best to get the definitive word from the appropriate people at PR and DCI as to whether a campaign could possibly hurt. I got the impression that talking to higher ups at DCI yesterday would not get me any further than I got with the "receptionist," which is your assumption / word and not mine. I was given a very subtle suggestion to talk to PR. I tried yesterday, but it may have to wait a couple of weeks until they have a camp and someone's there. Meanwhile, while I'm waiting, I'll repeat that it would be nice to find out for sure which piece is missing. If anyone gets the "new" edition and would like to help figure this out, please message me on this system. We can get on the phone and compare timestamps and music and whatnot. I would hope that more of us will get involved. I'm taking it upon myself to try to get some hard facts and consider and discuss a strategy. If someone else would like the job of researching and coordinating, that's fine. I will be happy to help.

Now that you mention it, I did learn a little something from DCI when I talked to them. I learned that they have given up, probably forever. I didn't get any sense that they will revisit the issue. That point was clearer than anything else the rep did or did not say. Their rep assumed that the ban would apply to the Classic Countdown and forever more. Legally speaking, how would it not apply unless something changes? I outlined what I had in mind for a campaign. I specifically asked this person if he or she thought it could hurt. I didn't hear any objections, but, then again, I was not necessarily talking to someone who should rule on that. I planned to specifically ask PR that, too, but I can't find them yet. Perhaps you're right, and I should wait to consult with the right people at DCI and PR. I'll think about that. As for it being "their" business, I am agreeing that it's their business, MAYBE, only if a campaign could hurt them. Generally speaking, though, the entire dc community's ox has been gored. I'm not (yet) challenging the legal right of the owner to gore; I'm just saying that perhaps they can be persuaded that it's not in anybody's interest. I'm thinking of my potential campaign as a war path covered in honey--politely persuasive but relentless. I don't want to get them angry. If I proceed, I'm going to have to think about my words very carefully. I know that much.

Would the previous person posting (who had access to the "new" DVD, posting at 3:06pm ET) or someone out there please tell us for sure which piece was edited out? I want to start a campaign to persuade the copyright holder or agent. It seems that this week is a good time to call because no one else will be calling them. I called DCI a couple of hours ago, and they very politely told me nothing at all. I am NOT blaming DCI or PR. For the record, I own the "first edition" DVD. It's not about me, though. I want to try my best to solve the problem for the Classic Countdowns in the future and the historical record. That show may finally replace SCV '89 ("Phantom of the Opera," the second year) as the greatest show of all time (based on fan vote and such), and it's been compromised. I don't care what people tell me about "seamless." PR isn't answering their phones, which is perfectly understandable at this time of year. Their "contact us" web-to-email form bounces the email, though. I left them a phone message mentioning that, but if anyone has an inside track, please have them test their web form. Many posts ago, people were saying something to the effect of "it's summer marching bands, not the end of the world." No, it's not the end of the world, but art is extremely important. To paraphrase Ayn Rand, art is a concrete representation of the artist's abstract view of the world. Art allows us to literally see and hear our ideals in a world that is generally not ideal. It keeps us sane, energized, and headed for a goal. I think drum corps is the perfect Objectivist ("Rand-ite") art, but I've never known another Objectivist drum corps fan to know what he or she thinks. The piece in question in Phantom's show may or may not be "Dance of Ecstasy," which is the perfect title for drum corps. Werner Herzog seeks the "ecstatic truth"; Rand evoked a powerful image of "ecstatic freedom" in "The Fountainhead"; my favorite painting is Maxfield Parrish's "Ecstasy." Whatever the medium, ecstasy is a worthy goal. It's ironic that "Dance of Ecstasy" may be the piece of music that has been axed. No ecstasy here. Go back to your chains. Move along, move along. "SCVAdagio" never marched dc, but I've seen 20 straight years of live shows, I've been to 120 total shows (not that I'm counting or anything), and I've been to three nights of finals in '98 and 2000 - 2008.

You're only looking for one for each night? If so... I've posted this a couple of times before, but no one is biting, so here we are again: I have section 7L, row 15, seat 9 for sale for all three nights, but I would sell just semis and finals. According to Ron Gunn's scouting, my seat is 3 seats off the 50. You can tell by the stadium diagram that it has to be really close to the 50. I'd want face value + $3 each for each ticket's share of the $9 package fee. Then plus shipping and Paypal fees, but, given that you're coming Friday, I would consider trying to meet up with you before the show and avoid shipping and paypal. I'll be there Thursday. Face value for semis and finals are $55 and $75. Mine are premium, not super premium. If the person posting doesn't bite, the offer goes for anyone else, too. Email me at KwynnB@BellSouth.net Thanks, Kwynn

I have section 7L, row 15, seat 9 for sale for all three nights, but I would sell just semis and finals. If you want to see drill, the person posting just before me is the way to go. According to Ron Gunn's scouting, my seat is 3 seats off the 50, and it's a lot closer to the field (and the 50) than the section 105 tickets. You can tell by the stadium diagram that it has to be really close to the 50. I'd want face value + $3 each for each ticket's share of the $9 package fee. Then plus shipping and Paypal fees, but, given that you're coming Friday, I would consider trying to meet up with you before the show and avoid shipping and paypal. I'll be there Thursday. My price is the same as the section 105 tickets; face value for semis and finals are $55 and $75. Mine are premium, not super premium. In the event that Gary / MelloNell already has a ticket, my offer goes for anyone else, too, of course. Email me at KwynnB@BellSouth.net Thanks, Kwynn