MadScout80

But it wasn't recorded in High Definition. Is the quality of a non-HD show higher when it is broadcast HD? I think maybe marginally so (anyone know for sure). But it sure isn't anywhere near what HD looks like. HD has really spoiled me. Even last years DCI DVDs don't look crisp and clear to me. DVD resolution is not HD resolution. And I don't know about the sound. Was it more than stereo? Just cause a show is on an HD channel doesn't me it utilizes all the potential of the channel.

I think that most of the things you DCPers are complaining about are pretty unimportant and irrelevant to the audience that this was made for. I think it is OBVIOUS that this is the cream of the crop, but that similar groups must certainly exist at all levels. That there has to be a "training ground". There is in every other sport/activity that ESPN shows. I've never assumed that the only cheerleading squads I could join were the 12 or so that were shown on their National Championship broadcast. And I think it is OBVIOUS that the shows are longer than 3 minutes and have been edited. Full shows on small TVs with small speakers would bore the non-hardcore viewers and have them flipping channels. Selfishly, I would have liked to see full shows, but I don't presume that what I want is the best way to package this to reach the target audience. The people who put this together do this for a living and are smarter about it than 99% of us. It was a great production. DCI is doing a lot of things right these days.

We have a ton of changes to make today - the staff is convinced those guys on Drum Corps Planet know what's best!

Gabriel is now playing 2nd.

I played Ice Castles in 1980. I played Ice Castles in 2006. The crowd response was very much the same. It was cool!

First, I am a huge fan of the current activity, and would never want to go back. This is not about was it better then or now, anyway. I've been watching DC since 1976. I've often wondered the same about crowd response - was it real or simply imagined due to being young and impressionable and at my earliest exposure. But I recently watched (over the course of several evenings) my Madison "Thru The Years" videos (74-94). Crowd response has definitely changed, and it is apparent in the videos. I would even argue that it can be proven. * 1976 = "American Idol", 2006 = "Van Clyburn International Piano Competition". ** Totally different etiquette was acceptable and expected. The fan base was, I think, very different. I really think that this explains it all - the culture has just changed. *** Maybe we thought back then that we could affect the judges marks! **** There wasn't so much visually going on that you could cheer for 20 seconds (looking away/standing/high fiving your neighbor) and not miss 6 drill moves or really too much intricate music. Face it there weren't that many soft sections, period. ***** Seems to me that there were more intense rivalries between corps, and more partisan fans.

It was hard enough to acquire enough "normal" horns... would have been really hard to find french horns in this day and age. The 3rd mello part was the french horn part and significantly different from the 1st and 2nd Mello split parts.

I'll agree to the marching, but not the playing. Most of us (allow me to speak for the horns) would say we're better musicians now at forty or fifty than we were at twenty. Drillwise, I got stuck between a couple of professional musicians. Talk about intimidating (albeit enjoyable). Please don't misunderstand me and think I want to perpetuate any comparisons - Jr. and Alumni are two different things entirely. I just don't understand how no one is realizing that most horn players keep playing and getting better. That was was one obvious advantage that we DID have!

Many events have permanent homes and the afficianados of each activity flock back year after year after year. Some actually look forward to the tradition. The Indy 500 The Master's Montreaux Jazz Festival The Rose Bowl parade/game World Series of Poker I always enjoyed going to Allentown and Whitewater over and over again every year (as a performer, and then later as a spectator). And Conor, its not like you don't travel to 30 or more other places over the course of the summer. Take it from me a few familiar stops each season become welcome.

I may a tape of '78 Scouts from Whitewater (pre-season). Wasn't there like a judges preview weekend or something? I know I recorded it. I have been meaning to digitize my 25 year old cassette tapes for some time. Never get around to it. I hope I can still find them.

Kilties had the best Paggliacci! ( I know... was '77, but it came up earlier). Phantom's was too sterile for my liking - Kilts had some real emotion especially solos. Bridgemen were in between, IMHO.

On Friday night when the Madison Alumni kick off "The Way We Were" I'll be 3 inside the 30 and 6 behind the front hash (on side 2). Oh, that would be the tip of the right "arm" of the Fleur de Lis. I'll be holding a mellophone if that helps. Wave at me, OK?

Have you heard about this? http://www.madisonscouts.org/pages/golf.htm

I can't believe I read the whole thing! Last night marked my 30th drum corps show in Stillwater! Where does time go? It is great to see Blue Stars returning to their former glory. Brings back many memories. I am certainly an old fart to most here, but I can honestly say I enjoy modern drum corps enormously. My wife and I go to Finals every year, no matter where it is (we started this tradition in '99). I have no issues with change, progress, whatever. My opinion is that I have never understood why it is necessary to tell a story of any type... or to make a statement or point or what have you. To me, the music on its own is great enough and different enough from anything else available that 11 minutes of pure drum corps music is even not enough. I don't like when even that is cut into with someone talking. Sometimes there is a cool story that can be told, but I've never understood why ALL corps seem to feel they HAVE to have a unified theme or story. Again, I don't say this out of tradition or any sense of longing for the "good old days". Really. I just have never believed that anything more than this unique and special sound of music that we can't find anywhere else was needed. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. I'll go to drum corps shows till I die, because there is too much I enjoy about it to ever let the things I don't enjoy get in the way. But I enjoyed the Blue Stars more without the narration. But I still enjoyed them. I guess I can stop typing now.

It took a looong time for scores to be announced. The announcer apologized twice for the long delay in tallying. And there were only 6 corps! Maybe we'll have different scores come morning...?

I think that the answer to the question is very simple: No one has cared enough to try and start one for many years. There is clearly an abundant supply of performers, as well as tons of former members and long time drum corps people here who know what to do. I have no answer as to why no one has attempted it recently. I can recall that back when the Mounties/Scouts/Blue Knights/Rivermen were all active there was always a lot of turnover from these corps to Madison/Blue Stars/Phantom as kids "moved up". That made it hard on the local corps. Blue Knights were hit really hard in '79 when 10-20 members went to Madison. -Cam 76-78 Blue Knights (St. Paul, MN!) 79-81 Madison Scouts 97-99 Minnesota Brass Inc. 2006 Madison Alumni Reunion Corps

I scanned my 25-year-old photo album and made a movie out of it:

Each time we get together I am re-amazed at the level of talent. It is mind-boggling actually. And most of us have gotton *better* over the years! I really enjoy pulling into the Ice Castles company front next to Metzger! :)

Dan Veerhusen taking picture of crowd, Finals 1980. BTW, I heard that the picture didn't turn out. You can hear this exact same ending from the Madison Alumni Reunion Corps at Semifinals this summer. In the same uniforms no less. And Dan will be back as well!

1978 - Here they are warming up for the "disco dancing" to follow ...

The weekend was a near religious experience. So much talent. So much class. Make no mistake - this will be the Madison Scouts with with the same quality and passion and perfection that has been exemplified throughout our history. THANK-YOU STAFF! Every detail was taken care of so that all we as performers had to do was concentrate on performance. Just like it always was. You really won't want to miss this, folks.

I have some extra tickets at the last minute… 2 for Semis: Sec. 332, Row 8, Seats 7-8 ($40/ticket) 2 for Finals: Sec. 310, Row 8, Seats 7-8 ($75/ticket) Call me on my cell and we’ll make arrangements for pickup in Providence. 612-229-0920 -Cam

Actually they had their normal number of barstaff - we just didn't supply their normal number of drunken "sports" fans. The bartenders were quite perplexed....

We had full bar in Club Level last year (Denver). One of the great improvements to drum corps from when I marched, IMO.

According to dci.org, Allentown is DCI's only "shrine" that still gets an annual visit. Why don't we have Whitewater anymore? Did they get sick of us? Anyone know? My Allentown memory: 1979, we were "getting screwed" all year (haha, I know - anyone who isn't in 1st is getting screwed) .... The staff just says (and this was before Risky Business, which used this line) "what the ****"! You are the ***ing MADISON SCOUTS! You just got beat by a circus! (Bridgemen) That should not happen! Then we finished our warm-up with the opening chords to "Slaughter". We were ready. Most intense show I remember in my 3 years. We vaulted to 2nd behind BD (and no one was beating BD in 80). My Whitewater memory: 1981. two weeks before finals... we win DCI Midwest!! The crowd goes absolutely berserk! We are in shock! First time we beat BD that year (the corps I always wanted to join, but was too far from - hey, I love jazz, what can I say). Unfortunately for us the top 4 flip-flopped big time the next 2 weeks and we had to settle for 3rd in Montreal (the only finals never televised). Trivia: in '81 three brothers who had all at one time been Scouts marched in 3 different corps - and took 1-2-3!!! Isn't that mind-boggling? The dinner conversation that must have occurred... As you can tell, we were still pretty score focused in the early 80s. It was a different world. Winning was still a big deal. None of this touchy-feely "just do your best" "do it for the crowd" attitude that came in vogue soon thereafter. I always felt my years (79-81) were the big transition years from the win-at-all-costs mentality to the more education-centric experiential focus of the activity. OK, enough rambling. This is my two weeks or so a year that I jump on DCPand gear up for DCI(which I have not missed since 1977). -Cam (french horn, "spacelips") p.s. Anyone I knew from my drum corps days - please stop by and say hi... Semifinals: Section 131 Row 5 Seats 19-20, or Finals: Club 9 Row 4 Seats 12-13