IllianaLancerContra

Saw Crossmen at Mon stand-still in Chesapeake. Horn line has quite a few real young looking members. They also had some significant feedback from the amps...

Perhaps someone "up there" is making a subtle hint on electronic amplification... :)

I guess you young'uns need something more than a 50 yard line?

Thank you. I am glad it did not involve levitation.

Waved her arms = future drum major

So much for that line of reasoning...

Off topic, I know, but in those days the musicians were also stretcher bearers. And that was an especially grusome conflict, as the technology was way ahead of the tactics. But I digress

Pls don't flame, I am a brass player, but What is a 'free-floating" drum? From what I see they still seem to be attached to the drummer. Just curious

Point of order - I walked through the puddles, and also complained. So there.

Now that the sound board can be operated by a staff member, does that staff member need to be a member of same musician's union to operate said board in some venues? I remember hearing stories about senior corps not being able to perform in some venues because the corps members were not members of the musician's union.

I was there too - agree w/ what was said above, but a few more thoughts Teal - much better than I expected. They remind me of Crown about 10-12 years ago when they were starting to make their move up Crossmen - a lot of real young members in the horn line (or maybe just small-boned?). They were the second-loudest to Phantom, but that came at some price w/ intonation issues. Amps had some major feedback & voice dropping out problems Phantom - Absolutely ripped my face off. Good thing lady 2-rows below had left w/ her infant daughter earlier - folks were looking for babies to throw...

Thunder right now in yorktown, raining off/on for a while

I'll be there, but it is raining on-off, for last 18 hrs... :(

From what I hear, Jester is probably attemting the most on a per member basis. 7 or 8 horns 2 snare, 1 tenor gives a lot of exposure. But I also hear they have a great work ethic.

That is the point right there - if any unit bases their show on amps, props, whatever gimic, and the gimic dosen't work then the score should reflect it. The judging system should reflect what is presented at the performance, not the intent of how it could be if all the gimics worked. This is not a new issue - I will get slammed here, but in 1991 Star's final's performance was weak (Rondo even said so on the telecast). Cavvies were on fire, so was SCV.

Back in the day, that sorta kinda happened; Madison was involved; and the result was 27th Lancers (to bring the Zingalli (sp?) reference full circle True story I'll elaborate at a future time - lets see who (other than 27 alums) take a hack at this

Like I said, they beat Longstreet's Corps

Let's just say they outscored Longstreet's Corps.

Sweet Fancy Moses

"Seriously guys, it was like bathing in chocolate"

My own disclaimer - I did not read every response, but did glance them over, so pardon me if I overlap w/ what others have said. I work for the Military, and have since 1989. One thing that you see over and over, is the older folks telling the younger ones 'you should have seen it back when' ; for example when I started in 1989, we still had nuke-loaded bombers on alert, untold megatons aimed at the Soviet Union, etc' It certianly is different now - look at today's headlines and see the new threat(s) we are dealing with. It's the same thing w/ drum corps - someone said it was human nature. "Back when I was your age, this is how it was. You youngun's have it easy...' All I can really advise is go out there, march wherever you can. I had an absolute blast in what would now be called a Div III corps. I don't think we ever (when I marched) won a show. But it was still something I (obviously) keep in touch with.

And switch the mellows to French horns while you are at it. Along the previous line of questioning, what is the rational for mellophones vice Frenchies? French Horns weight more (more brass), but seriously, why did they go away?

Probably something better left to some slow afternoon in February...

I know it is dangerous to do math in public, 2006 is DCI's 34th year. Now, at 12 finalist spots/year, that means there have been (34*12) 408 finalist corps over time (not counting ties for the last spot - I know it happened in 1977, but then Bridgemen were DQ'd after scoring 4th, so maybe a push?). I don't recall if there were other ties for 12th. So, Santa Clara is the only corps that has been in finals 34 times (assuming they make it this year). One could find out all kinds of things with this math...

Pioneer was 16th in 2000, and 17th in 1999 (source: Corpsreps.com) - top 17 are in semi's, right?.