NV82

SOLD!!! Always happy to support anything and everything drum corps! I’m ashamed to admit this is our 7th year attending the World Class finals and I’ve never attended an Open Class event…. My son aged out in ’09 so for the first time I don’t have to worry about being a parent (washing uniforms at 5am on the morning of finals, frantically collecting luggage, Gatorade runs, etc). Open Class Finals sounds like a perfect way to fill the void…

Drum Corps in Albuquerque always make me very happy!!! My son and I watched BK rehearse at Rio Rancho High School last night. I was more than a little surprised they are playing Farandole but WOW! They have a beautiful rich dark sound and the show has enormous potential. My son is watching Troopers rehearse today while I’m stuck at work. I can’t wait for tonight!

Yes, it’s true. I spent a free day in Boulder with my Cavalier son the day after it occurred. The member was sent home. Actually, the other corps members took the incident extremely seriously and were disappointed at his actions. There were plans for a sincere apology to the Blue Devils. No one can deny The Cavaliers love to have fun, but they also know when a prank goes to far….

OMG there are drum corps in Albuquerque!!!! It’s hard being a drum corps fan in New Mexico…… Just got home from watching the Blue Knights and Blue Coats at Rio Rancho High School. If we can just keep this wind under control, it should be a great evening!

It’s still VERY early in the season… Maybe it should just be perfected so it’s clear they are creating an echo and it’s not phasing. It’s also possible once we see it with the visual program it will be more apparent than it was during a standstill with the corps grouped close together. I think if it’s done well, it should be a really moving effect…..

After spending countless hours as a volunteer in the past I’m arguably one of the biggest BK fans ever and can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this year! Great staff and incredible kids!!!! Only 12 more days to their first show in Albuquerque! We already have our tickets and I’m eagerly counting the hours!!!! Yes, we’ll bring the homemade cookies…..

So true! For the past 5 years this pretty much sums up my son’s calls during the first few weeks after move in. The only thing missing is the list of things he forgot. This year it was silver polish…. I’m not sure which one of “the calls” you are referring to. It seems like ever year there is a new one…. Year 1 (age 16): “Dad, can I come home for the weekend? Just a couple of days…please?” Year 2 (tearfully): “Mom, I’m on my way to the emergency room” “They are going to send me home, I just know it! Trumpet players are a dime a dozen!!!” Year 3: “Um, we’re all huddled together in the hallway because of the tornado” Year 4 (girlfriend trouble): “Drum Corps in ruining my life!” No frantic calls yet this year….but we have 10 weeks to go….

Well maybe he’ll have a greater appreciation of this year’s show portraying the principal high elevation hydrological divide of watersheds. Really, how much more intellectual depth could you ask for! Just thinking about it now has me pumping my fist in the air screaming ‘I love drainage basin management’. Vapid? I think not!

As a long time drum corps fan and parent every now and then I put on my emotional armor and venture into DCP knowing there will be posts like this. Why is it that in every question posed for debate with the best of intentions someone finds the need to be mean spirited? To imply the Cavaliers or ANY DCI Corps is dull or tasteless is nothing more than name calling….. I don’t mind a good debate if the opposing arguments are well thought out and have merit, but this void of any relevance at all other than to be cruel. No one can argue the ability of The Cavaliers to capture an audience. And if that audience is primarily “HS bandos” that’s great! The drum corps activity needs to continuously generate new fans and prospective corps members for survival and growth. I have attended all three days of finals for years and although I don’t claim to know the exact demographic of the audiences, I would place an educated wager the majority are performers families and former marching members with their families. And so in answer to the original questions, did The Cavaliers change the direction of show design, I don’t know, only the actual show designers could answer that question definitively. But what I do know is as an audience member those early 2000’s Cavaliers shows left me with a hunger for more! Let’s give corps like The Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, Blue Devils and Cadets their due credit for taking risks and continuously raising the bar to keep us returning year after year.

I never pass up a chance to watch a Drum Corps show! And although most of the corps I voted for did not make the Countdown… We have seen all the shows live… And we already have all the shows on DVD… I believe it’s important to support the activity in any way we can. It’s also a great opportunity to meet other fans, alumni, current marching members, and parents who live in our area. Last year my son met a FMM of his corps who marched in the 60s! They spent a lot of time sharing stories and the gentleman then came to a show later in the summer!

GREAT JOB CADETS!!!!

WOW!!!! GREAT JOB COLTS!!!! Love the music selection!!!

When I started reading this post you had me wrapped around your little finger until…… you started taking jabs at another corps. I can’t imagine the heat break BD felt loosing the title and dealing with the crowd’s excitement at Phantoms win. I guess it’s natural you would personalize that excitement and assume they were happy you lost. I don’t believe anyone in the audience that night intended to show any disrespect or lack of appreciation for the Blue Devils and the amazing show and summer they gave us. In truth we were all caught up in the excitement of a season that left us dizzy at the levels of excellence that had been achieved by so many corps. Even the fight for 12th left us in awe of the corps that didn’t make it to finals night and knowing we were witnessing a season that would be talked about for years to come. But I wonder if you ever considered the emotions of all the other corps members standing on the field that night? As a Blue Devil, is not winning 1st a bigger disappointment to you than the members of other corps? Why, because you feel you worked harder, your show was better, you deserved it more? Something about this idea just seems off to me. I guess my point is, it’s a competition. There will be winners and losers. Tears of joy and tears of heart break. By the time you reach finals night every corps member standing on the field as worked hard to reach perfection. The difference? The Blue Devils expected to win… Phantom did not… Don’t dwell on your disappointment, think about what you achieved! Think of all the fun you had over the summer and the friends you made. Think of the excitement of competition and take some time to appreciate and respect the other corps on the field. As an ex-Blue Knight parent I know all about being insulted (just read this thread) and I can somewhat empathize with your frustration. Heartbreak? I know what it’s like to watch my son’s corps booed by 30,000+ people because they just upset the crowd favorite. The guy behind me made it clear he was not a BK fan….I guess I had the last laugh. Every corps parent and member most likely has a story of some horrible thing that happened or was said by some other terrible, no good, nasty corps or corps fan. We also have good stories of meeting other corps parents in the stands and sharing our experiences and complements. I have watched my son in the airport on the way home from finals make new friends by approaching someone wearing a member jacket and asking about their summer. The good, the bad, it’s all just part of good old fashion competition…..

You should call and ask! It's worth a try......

As a mom who has spent years trying to find the most affordable way to get my son to monthly camps, last year I stumbled across the Southwest Airline Student Rapid Rewards program. As a student you get double rewards! So if you travel round trip it would be 4 credits or 2 credits each way. It takes 16 credits to earn a free travel voucher, so for every 4 flights you get a free one. I have never been able to find a link on their website so if anyone is interested they need to call customer service to join. It’s free. 1-800-435-9792 I also watch the Southwest Ding fairs daily and have been able to find some extremely good fairs. It takes some effort to keep up, but it’s well worth it. If your really creative you can also work their system to get additional points. Last year I found a Ding fair to Denver for $39 and then later a Ding fair from Denver to Chicago for $59. If I purchased the ticket directly to Chicago is was $150 so I saved $52 by purchasing 2 tickets rather than 1 and because it was considered two separate trips and my son earned 2 additional credits. He did have to collect his bags in Denver and re-check them. A note of caution: During holiday periods Southwest is usually not the least expensive so make sure you shop all the airlines early…. Most Airlines have a student program but they don’t advertise them so you have to ask!