keymodf

What's with the recent insurgence of brand new forum members? Is this an audition season thing or have the "need advice" and "blue stars switch to jupiter" type threads suddenly spawned the desire to post for the first time? Is everybody creating new names to troll with now? On an on topic note: I'm going to second (or third) anything positive said about the Blue Stars' choice and the jupiter line. Even if the corps early to the party took a hit because of the quality of the instruments, they've gotten enough changed to seriously benefit those joining the Jupiter team now.

Yes really, I believe that only the top five corps in world class have a quality staff and program and everybody else is just peddling garbage and doesn't deserve to charge the money they do or even exist (I'll wait for somebody else to quote just that sentence and tear me to pieces later). NO, of course not! I mentioned in a later post that there is no possible way that these corps could even begin a tour if they didn't charge the kind of money that they did. I also should have mentioned that everybody on DCP doesn't hate the little corps. Forte (just using the name that generated my response, I am in no way affiliated or know specific details) doesn't have half the budget that BD or SCV has, but still needs to pay its staff, get busses, instruments, uniforms, food, housing for tour, etc. If a corps 150 strong did a smaller "open class" style tour, I'm sure they could have dues in the 900 to 1200 range, because member dues would add up to a higher total without having to dump so much money into travel and housing. However, everything pretty much ends up to scale. Smaller corps are doing smaller tours (with the exception of a few, Legends and a few others that end up at quite a few World Class shows for much of early July). You have less shows, but also less members to bring in a good amount of money. They also have smaller booster budgets (generally, I'd assume). Account for the fact that some of these corps still have a similar staff size to world class groups, and you have roughly consistent dues. The problem with "lower level" corps not getting these members (are we still even on that topic anymore?) is choice. It's been mentioned a lot, but some kids don't want to get experience at a lower placing corps; they want to march at their top choice or else. Kids want to be the random guy in the last chapter of the book that gets thrill of competing at the highest level. It's much tougher to be the person that is introduced at the beginning as the hero and trudges through the hard times, sometimes nearly alone, in the introductory chapters. Which choice is more rewarding is only up to the person that makes it. I commend the kids at Genesis, Legends, Forte, Music City, and other Open Class corps on the rise today for sticking around and being the people that set tradition, not just follow it. The same process had to happen at Bluecoats (as I believe somebody referenced earlier), Blue Stars (several times actually), and pretty much every single other corps that is still around and strong today.

It might have been said already, if so I apologize, but some corps seem to be against this policy. I know of open class corps that have contacted the corps that I marched that is now a top 8 corps asking if they would be able to distribute some information for those that didn't make the corps. Their response was that they would "recommend your organization if any of our cuts specifically ask about it". Seems pretty cold considering that's how I was told about that corps, when I was cut from another and told all about the corps I ended up marching at. That said, there are organizations that really want to see kids marching regardless of location and will personally get members in touch with the right people and all set up. I'd like to believe there are more than just a few, but it's not looking promising.

Please insert belated sarcasm in my last post. Absolutely no disrespect. OC is a wealth of great instructors. Similar to the members, just because they choose to work in the smaller of the classes doesn't make them inferior. And how else are smaller corps going to get the top staff that some of them have than by charging similar prices to some of the top world class corps?

Who offers absolutely no quality instruction or experience.

Greg Kinnear as Rick Bays

Yikes, I hope you're missing something. I know people who got paid more than $30 for blocks at camps. $30 an hour? $30 a day? $30k?

Mostly that was a stab at how the OP's general sentiment seems to be "world class or bust". I don't think they'd even look at Legends, regardless of snare tilt or male/female makeup. Not that there's anything wrong with that attitude, it just perpetuates the disparity between the classes.

Legends tilts their snares...too bad.

Warm up areas at LOS aren't great anyway. I understand that certain corps get to warm up inside (top 5 maybe?), which sucks because it's in a garage. The rest of us have to head off to a park and make the trek through downtown Indy. Not really ideal for anybody.

Anybody see this ad yet? "Run with confidence in the adidas adizero Mana unisex running shoes. This versatile shoe is great for on and off-road work, and can take a beating better than a drum corps snare head. Don't worry if you don't know what that is; it's a band geek thing, and we know you have better things to do with your time than research the history behind drum corps musicians in the U.S. We're sure you would rather be out trekking across the country in your adidas adizero Mana unisex running shoes. They've got the teeth to dig in on a rugged trail, but their grill is just as pretty on the street. Loaded with exclusive adidas running technology like adiPRENE+ that maximizes forefoot propulsion, the adidas adizero Mana unisex running shoes will keep you comfortable and ready for action all day long. Concentrate on what's important. You can check out DCI stuff another day." I can't figure out if that's the official Adidas ad because it wasn't on the Adidas site. Interesting nonetheless. Sorry if this was already posted somewhere.

I've been told by members that the Madison show won't have a title. Unless you want to count "Rhapsody in Blue and Slaughter on 10th Avenue" as their show title.

When I marched, we could have sectionals or practice for I&E after shows. Now, I know you aren't supposed to play while the show is still going on (I think at least). How close am I? Can members play, warm down, whatever after their show or even after the last corps?

Somebody marched Pioneer in 2007 and then went to Legends in 2008.

It was 2005 Boss, 2006 was that Simple Gifts thing 2007 was America the Beautiful/ patriotic songs jammed together. Same with 2008, which is the year in which somebody messed it up for all of us. America O Canada was by far the best, not just for tradition's sake, but the arrangement was far superior and more to the point.