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Just have to say how impressed I was with Troopers at Drums on Parade on Saturday night. Very strong show concept again this year and a strong horn line. Keep up the great work!

Not intended. There are plenty of other posts in this thread that fit the definition.

Did I say that your specific comment was vitriolic? No.

. . . or perhaps it’s illustrative of the fact that those of us in Madison elected to enjoy the show rather than engage in DCP vitriol.

So this is cool: https://www.forwardperformingarts.org/news/nine-new-inductees-named-to-the-madison-scouts-hall-of-fame-class-of-2023?fbclid=IwAR3PsNXkRV_UUYMXrkFf-6b85Tq31EhRACVfSf6iw7cuVLUvy1nCaVGBXx4 The Scouts HOF was established last year, so this is only the second class of inductees. Not sure why Scott Boerma isn't already in the DCI HOF. Would expect that's coming soon.

I guess I'm in the minority. I liked their show this year.

Ward Miller. Impressive.

From what I’m seeing on social media, the reaction to the announcement is overwhelmingly positive. Jason Robb knows the brand and is a rising star in the marching arts activity. Jenifo coming back is very exciting as well.

The corps or the gyros at Parthenon? 😆 As an aside, Gus K, the longtime manager at Parthenon, started the business on Hwy M that would become Athens. They use the old Parthenon’s recipe. Delicious.

Shop the Pig!

Understood. Maybe check out the restarted Madison Scouts Alumni Association. No cost to join - simply need to update contact information in CorpsData.

My experience is that most communication is being facilitated via the 1938 Facebook page for donors. This includes photos and video from camps, interviews with staff (including an interview months ago with Jim Elvord, in which he showed a mock-up of the uniform/costume), and live streams (including yesterday's performance). Makes some sense to incentivize donors with exclusive access, IMO. As to the unis/costumes not being available until first show (or beyond), that is an activity-wide issue as others (including SCV) didn't have unis/costumes for first performance last year, if memory serves me correctly.

Hard to tell, as where the horn line was standing resulted in them playing over the top of the crowd. Others have told me that the volume is noticeably stronger for this time of year than of late. I'll get a better idea on Saturday night.

I was at the performance yesterday. Good turnout. Seeing the Madison Scouts on the steps of the State Capitol on a beautiful summer day in Madison, Wisconsin, brought back some great memories. The corps was not in their uniforms/costumes yet - those debut tomorrow night at Drums on Parade. Instead they were wearing t-shirts purchased by the alumni association. The music is very accessible and well-arranged (thanks, Chuck). Fans will likely love the music, especially us dinosaurs. Drum line is a strength. Impossible to guess where things land competitively, obviously, but I was excited to hear the crowd reaction. The performance was entertaining. You would definitely be able to identify the corps as the Madison Scouts if you simply heard the music. That was refreshing.

Corps Facebook page says dress rehearsal (sans uniforms/costumes) tomorrow (Wednesday) night at Perkins Stadium in Whitewater. Run starts around 9 p.m.

Greg Lagola design, I've heard.

Design team announced: http://www.madisonscouts.org/2018/09/madison-scouts-announce-2019-design-team/

Mike Turner was the DCI Finals color guard judge this year.

Madison has a new visual caption head: http://www.madisonscouts.org/2018/09/madison-scouts-welcome-mike-hardiek-visual-caption-head/

Madison announcements starting to come out: http://www.madisonscouts.org/2018/09/madison-scouts-welcome-mike-hardiek-visual-caption-head/

Forward Performing Arts had taken action on this issue before publication of the article. Facebook post from October 26, 2017: Over the past few years, the Madison Scouts have received an increasing number of membership inquiries from transgender people interested in joining the corps. In the absence of any formal policy, we have cited sexual assignment at birth as the eligibility standard and helped students who did not meet that criteria find a suitable option with other drum corps. Accordingly, in September, I asked the Forward Performing Arts Board of Directors to consider this issue, and a committee was formed to examine this matter more closely. At the October 16th board meeting, the committee presented a recommendation to the board to amend its existing eligibility policy to include transgender males beginning in 2018. The board unanimously approved the recommendation and has been working with the National Center for Transgender Equality over the past two weeks to draft a policy with appropriate language. Eligibility for the 2018 Madison Scouts will be based on the gender identity indicated by the applicant, including transgender males. Since its beginning in 1938, the Madison Scouts has a long and commendable history of diversity and inclusion. For 80 years, the corps has been racially integrated and was led by an African-American drum major its inaugural year. Originally started as a Boy Scout Troop, the organization was all-male by regulation. Over time, the corps has evolved within the activity and within society to serve a diverse membership, with different races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and economic backgrounds. These differences have helped make the Madison Scouts what it is today—a place where a young person can explore their world via performance. The Madison Scouts is no longer associated with the Boys Scouts of America, but has chosen to maintain its “all-male” membership requirement, not in an effort to circumvent gender equality, but rather to create an environment where young men are taught the characteristic standards of being a better man without mixed-sex influences. We believe that we provide a unique and experiential offering based on the all-male environment that is unique within the pageantry world, where other co-ed opportunities exist. The Madison Scouts will continue to provide an educational environment where our membership develops life skills that will serve them effectively in their adult lives. We do so by creating an environment of both adversity and diversity, a place and an activity where one can push themselves beyond what they currently understand. We will continue to explore our changing world and adapt in the most appropriate means necessary to serve this mission. Chris Komnick - Executive Director Gregg Auby - President, Board of Directors

The older alums should be ecstatic about this hire . . . http://www.madisonscoutslive.com/mainsite/2017/09/chris-tomsa-lead-scouts-brass-program/

A well-respected guard alum of the corps, who has served as the caption head of another top 5 corps, posted a VERY favorable review of the show on the Scouts Alumni FB page. I'll leave it at that, as I'm not comfortable taking something that was posted in a closed forum and posting it here without his permission. Best review I've seen to date, and he knows the current state of the activity as well as anyone.

Are you an alum? Just curious. I'm a Scouts and UW Band alum, and thinking you may be same given you're using a photo of Mike.

And you yours. :) BTW, I love their show.