Mr. Bill
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Posts posted by Mr. Bill
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Just a quick bump...
Show your loved one you care. Bring them to a Florida Xpress rehearsal on Valentine's Day!
Be a part of the inaugural year of this DCI SoundSport-style group.
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"America's Oldest Continually Active Drum and Bugle Corps", the Racine Scouts has 2 empty trumpet spots in the corps. For more info, contact the corps through the website, www.racinescouts.com
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The 2013 incarnation of the Racine Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps horn line has just 2 trumpet spots left available. Come march with the "Oldest Continually Active Drum Corps in America."
Contact me at mr_bill@racinescouts.com or go to the website, www.racinescouts.com for more information!
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Revolution also has an open trumpet spot. You can some fine experience with with Jason and his staff at Forte or with mine at Revo. Feel free to contact me also at williamvclark@gru.net.
--Bill Clark
Brass Caption Head/Program Coordinator
Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps
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...with who? 
Seeing that Mark Ripley posted it, I would assume that it is with the Blue Saints.
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I still cannot believe this. Thank you for taking me in in 2008 and allowing me to age-out as a Dutch Boy. I loved it, and Dutch Boy will always have a place in my heart. I wish Dutch all the best and if there is anything I can do, please contact me. Once Dutch, Always Dutch
And we enjoyed having you there, Jen!
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Spokane Thunder, from Spokane, Washington, still has some spots available in brass.
The entire "away-from-home" commitment would be just about 1 month; mid-June through mid-July.
This is a great opportunity for an experienced marcher that was going to stay home this summer because you "didn't have time to march." It is also perfect for someone looking for their first drum corps experience. You could come march drum corps, travel the west coast, go to Disneyland, and still be home for a few weeks before the summer ends!
For complete information, check out the webpage, www.spokanethunder.org
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6/7. Spokane Thunder - If they're back, then that time with Cascades will be great for them. The whole "resurrection" theme will be a very big motivation too.
We appreciate the love, but, Thunder will not be going to Indy. We are staying on the West Coast this summer.
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Can't believe my account still even works after my drum corps sabbatical.
Another good season for Revolution. Shout out to Bill! He used to teach me at Teal, and I'm sure is a great influence on their brass program.
And a shout back at you Peter!
Y'up, I have written Revo's brass book again this year, but I am on the shortened West Coast tour with Spokane Thunder as their Brass Caption head. Lotsa fun all 'round!
I'm coming DC way next week...call me!
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ok
we have officially lost it... new picture needed...
I dunno, Tom...I have a few graphic mental pictures after reading the last 4 pages!
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tell me you don't REALLY have Flamingo lawn ornaments... not really ??? really ??? that is soooooo.... sooooooo.... not cool!!!
Actually, Tom...when I first moved down here I bought a few sets of lawn flamingos. Then I painted them black with flames and blue with cotton snow on top. Then I mailed them to friends in Rochester, because I didn't want something so lame on my lawn!
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I know I am late to the party, but I just got a phone call about this.
I count my years with Rochester as some of the best of my life. I still "bleed green" and now, unfortunately, I cry green, too.
I call on all Cru Alumni to do what I will: Make some phone calls and see what you can do to get the ship righted and sailing again.
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"The Motive Revolution by Eric Whitacre"
Is this from Ghost Train?
Yes. It is the 3rd movement of the "Ghost Train Triptych."
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Good choice, Mark!
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30 shows.
We have jets not busses.
We pay the marching members.
Costco follows us on tour.
Staff would be the only expense and our budget is around 2 mill.
And we are all in tip top shape, we don't need no stinkin' doctors.
Still working on a name though!!!!
Sounds like the "Shangri-la Squires"
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I think the biggest issue I have with these "bailout" threads is that everyone is accusing these directors of mismanagement. When any drum corps sets up their budget, member dues are one of the first things they look at. The problem for most open class corps is that member dues are the largest part of their income. How can you effectively manage a budget when the largest part of your income is a huge question mark?
Last year, I was the program coordinator at Spokane Thunder. When I was hired, the organization was just recovering from being a little in the red. They host a very large marching band competition every year, which ends up being their largest fundraising event. When I discussed the staff/travel budget with the director, we did it based on an overall budget that projected a membership of 30 brass (three more than the previous year), 24 percussion, 12 guard, and 2DMs. At $1,200 per member, that put us at $81,600 in member dues. The reality is that despite recruiting efforts, we fielded 18 brass, 23 percussion, 8 guard, and 2DMs. Those numbers put us $20,000 below our planned budget, so we tried to raise funds in anyway possible. The result was still a five-figure deficit. The corps director didn't mismanage anything. How could he know that kids would quit in the last two winter camps because the fees? He did what he had to do....let the parents know that if we didn't raise a certain amount before move-in, we weren't going to be able to tour. In 24 hours, the community gave the corps more than what we needed, and tour happened. We ended the season in the black, and the director said that he would never allow a situation like that to happen again.
Flash-forward to December 2009. The corps holds it's first camp with an 85% return rate of 2008's members. Even with that, the corps still only sees 25 brass, a lot of percussion, and a few guard. Could Spokane Thunder have had another competitive season in 2009? Absolutely. The staff was returning, and so were all of the members. We would have been a little larger, and would definitely be competing for a medal right now. However, the budget situation was shaping up to be as shaky as it the year prior, and the director decided that he would rather merge with the Cascades than put out another corps that might be in danger of canceling tour at the last minute. At the time, it really hurt to know that there wasn't going to be a Thunder 2009, but at the end of the day, the director and the board made the right call.
As for the situation at OC, I don't know the specifics, so I can't comment. I do know that we made the best decision for us, and I hope that they're making the best decision for them. I know that they didn't hit their 50k goal last year, but still made it to Indy. I suspect that the same will happen this year.
Well said, Nick.
I think it safe to say that if you have worked OR marched in this activity, you have been involved with a group that had some sort of money issue. The business model of drum corps should not really succeed.
I was at Cap Sound when finances pulled the plug the day before move-ins. We had a larger corps than the year before, better quality, and promised to be more competitive. Cap had even forgone going to Calfornia for Championships 2 years prior in a effort to stave off the financial grim reaper.
(Climbs on a soap box)
BUT, every corps has a different situation. Some are mismanaged, some are victims of fate, and some refuse to read the writing on the wall until it is too late. The ONLY ones, however, that know in which category an individual corps rests are the people there! Much of the financial speculation that occurs here is useless and only helps to feed the trolls. If you want to help an OC corps, BUY A TICKET TO A SHOW. BRING A FRIEND AND A FAMILY MEMBER. BUY A SOUVIE FROM THEIR BOOTH. DONATE IN THEIR JAR. TELL HOPPIE THAT ANYONE THEY REJECT AT AUDITIONS SHOULD BE TOLD TO GO CUT THEIR TEETH IN OPEN CLASS FIRST...oh, sorry. A little extemporaneous proseletizing there...
(Steps off soap box)
Uh...ahem...
Thank you for your time
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Totally agree with you on that one, Nick.
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1) New York Yankees
2) Bobby Jindal
3) Marquette University Men's Basketball Team
4) Blue Devils
5) Duke Blue Devils
6) The black guy prisoner on the boat from Batman who threw the remote out the window
7) The number 7 was banned by George Hopkins, a la rule proposal 2.4.5.43.4.5.2.x.5.3.windows.xp
8) Indianapolis Colts
9) Hard Rock Casino
10) Ben
11) and Jerry
12) The understudies from the national broadway tour of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Thank you. This sidelined subject needed that.
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While I like the idea, Keith, most Open Class corps still wish to have a "fuller" touring experience by having shows during the week. Weekday shows also make it possible to be more than just a 300-mile regional touring corps by hitting shows along the way.
If DCA could start to sponsor Open Class shows on weekdays, then I think it is definately a viable option.
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A large chunk of their debt IS from the fines levied for last year's inactivity.
No rumour...just fact.
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Yes, www.capsound.org
If anyone tried to go yesterday, there was a problem with our hosting server and the site was down for a while. It is back up now.
While you are there, please check to see how you can help put this corps back on the field with our "Capital Sound Uniform Drive."
Thank you!
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Bump!
Check it out for info on becoming part of Capital Sound for the '09 season!
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Obviously I will be biased.
I have worked under close on a dozen corps directors in my drum corps career. And I think my current one, Marc Gofstein from Capital Sound, is the best.
He does his job and truly puts himself out there for the kids. More importantly, he stays out out of the way of his employees, the staff. When he hires you for a job, he allows you to do it. Many corps directors seem to forget this last point.
Now...how 'bout that raise, Marc?
THAT! Show Announcement
in DCI Open Class Corps Discussions
Posted · Edited by Mr. Bill
Corrected link
THAT!, a SoundSport group, has announced their show.
Available here: (link edited)
https://www.thatcorps.org/that-news.html