TuoKaerf

That is absolutely valid. My one caveat would be to ensure people don't see this as required. If you have a 20 person hornline with 6-7 frontline members, you can get away without amps. With a 60 person hornline, there's a big difference in balance between them and 8-9 mallet instruments.

Pits have been used for primary melody for two decades now. While this can be made work OK in WGI, there's major issues with this. Cymbals and concert basses typically are not close mic'd (you do see some contact mics inside concert basses) and rely on direct sound. Lining this up is a nightmare from back sideline up front. It's rare for the marching ensemble to be playing for any length of time that far back. It just sounds like you don't like pits, or any relevant show from the mid 1980's to today.

Modern front ensemble books are quite different today than they were 20 years ago, even in DCA. While DCA is known for "traditionalists", the top handful of shows over the past number of years are not traditional drum corps shows. They're not yet designed to where DCI and BOA have been lately, but they're slowly moving that way. Arranging techniques change along that time as well and there's a big demand on the front ensemble from a music contribution standpoint that's expected from the judges. To be competitive, you have to write pit books that do not lend well to un-amplified sound. To match dynamics with the rest of the corps, you're playing at your head and using much harsher techniques at lower heights to project sound. This is really hard on the instruments and hard on performers' hands. This is something that should have been done years ago, WGI and BOA figured this out well before DCI even. As for cost, it's quite low. A workable set of mics, board, amps, speakers and cables can be done reasonably. Most high school winter lines and bands can afford the equipment, and their operating budgets are a fraction of most DCA corps.

WGI has no age restriction for the winter guards, however the drumlines are 22 and under. I think Aimaichi is the only exception to the under 22 rule for the drumlines.

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Scroll back a few pages.

Bluecoats 2005 and this year.

Hmm, not that I know of. However, corpsreps.com has a pretty good picture index for each corps over the years. Also, check out each individual corps' website. They usually have fairly large picture archives.

I'm seriously debating sending some resumes around for next year. My profession is audio engineering and live sound. It seems like we're going to have to live with amps, so why not do it right?

Sometimes the show staff or whoever owns the field will cancel the use of the field due to possible damage from marching on it when the conditions are less than favorable, so then it has to be moved indoors.

Sorry no one consulted you. I'm sure they will next timew they order new unis.

Yes, D2 and D3 sheets are the same.

I dont remember as much from 2002, but here's a general idea of what we (Blue Stars) had in 2004- Breakfast-Cereal, fresh fruit, juices, milk. If the cooks had time (depending when we'd get into the housing site) we'd have pancakes, french toast, and sausages/bacon. Occasionally fried eggs or omlettes cooked when ordered. Lunch-Cold cut sandwiches, fresh fruit, PB and J's, nacos, tacos, usually a "lighter" meal. Dinner-chicken patties, tacos, pork chops, hot dishes, and so on. Usually a big, hot meal. Snack-left overs, or more sugary/salty snacks.

Nacho cheese anjd pasta....Meal of champions. We ate great in 2004. I ate better on tour than I did at my apartment lol.

Only if you can't get a job teaching, or BOA turned you down.

Hope your daughter is having a great time :) . I'll get a chance to see my Blue Stars at Stillwater b**bs .

I had my cell phone for two years on tour, and I think in the long run other people used it more than I did (I had free nights after 7, weekends, and no long distance). I'd call home once a week to give my parents an update, and that's about it. I can see that some of the cons can come from the handful of kids who are glued to their phones at all times, and the drama that ensues from that. Also, when someone's phone rings at 3am when you're trying to sleep on a gym floor.... As for the argument for emergency uses, most corps have an emergency line that will go straight to the corps director or tour director. And in the event someone needs to make a phone call, there's always someone around to let them use a cell phone.

It looks like Vanguard's line is back up there again too...

Also take into account that once a 4th or 3rd place finalist corps gets a higher score, the judges can only go up.

I would say the corps who have modified style to accomodate the amps.

2004 was the year the Blue Stars had a big size jump and marched around 100 I think. 2005 was around 125ish I think?

From what I've seen, The Acadamy are doing everything right. It looks like they are being responsible financially, taking care of their members, and obviously putting a quality show on the field.

Wow, you guys have school this late still?

Anywho, good luck Acadamy with your first year at finals. I've been itching to be able to finally hear and see them in person :-). The APDs last year were great! (And yes, over hype is not good. Excitement over something is different than the "my corps X has the best show" crap.)

How many Blue Stars members did you see on here hyping their own show? I dont remember any. There were a few alumnis, but a lot of it is due to the fact that the corps doubled in size over 2 years. They should be excited about that. If you wanna talk about stupid hype, take a look at the hullabaloo from 2004 betwen ECJ and Spartans.