Ranger Rick

They're totally homemade (the President of our BOD makes them), with lumber and foam padding. I don't have a photo, but I can try and take one next camp.

Net on the ceiling holds large drum/timpani heads, rail that holds uniforms goes to back of trailer, boxes with paint supplies go underneath that rail... along with other things. Special contra cases (one case holds 5 contras). Don't use 'em. Cases. The what now?

This reminds me of a story. During all-days this year, an eccentric local guy challenged our corps to see what was louder... our corps at the loudest part of our show, or his truck. Now, the thing about his truck was that it had several HUGE bullhorns strapped to it: http://flickr.com/photos/10056173@N07/806167040/ He beat us by 5 decibels, but both the corps (with only 32 horns) and the truck clocked in between 100 and 110 dB.

There was actually an exact "We didn't start the fire, it was always burning since the world's been turning" quote in the last 30 seconds of the closer. I was just about on my feet when I heard it. It was very reminiscent of the brief and subtle "Live and Let Die" quotes from the 2004 show.

The original corps named the Blue Stars, yes, but not the current incarnation of it.

I estimate: Cascades, Southwind, and Capital Regiment will not return for longer than a single season, if ever. 3 corps currently in the bottom 10 will fall. Jersey Surf, Teal Sound, Oregon Crusaders, and one other Open Class corps will move up. However, that other one will fold after a few years. Maybe I'm being optimistic, but barring serious economic crisis, I forsee 20 World Class corps in 2018.

Terrible video quality, questionable choices for camera angles, and decent sound. Put next to the Div I DVDs, even the 13-22 disc with no features, it's pretty sorry. Hopefully with Open Class finals in the same stadium, and in theory, using the same equipment, the quality will improve next year.

Look for 100+ from Oregon.

I was actually pretty sure that both Cavaliers and Cadets were in G in 2000...

Well some of us (not me) are blessed with fields that can be marched on in February.

2500 is still the very, very high end, but I believe that Phantom costs that much this year, and Cadets (the corps, I believe, with the highest fees in DCI) has been over that for a while. The low end of World Class is probably Troopers, at 1600. I don't know how they manage to keep fees that low... several Open Class corps run the same rates.

I think most of the buzz this year regarding VK is about their camp photos that show them with a corps 30 members larger than last year... not memories of shows over a decade ago.

"OH MY GOD!"

My director began every other sentence with, "If you want to be as good as the Blue Devils you have to...." Guess we can't all be so lucky.

What band directors have such a policy? In what parts of the country? Where I live, kids are encouraged to go off to drum corps because it is seen as a way of strengthening the program. The only reason I can think of for a director to prohibit a member from coming back to band camp stronger, smarter, and more skilled because they might miss a week or so of music and drill that a drum corps veteran could quickly master is the ego of the director. Members like Open Class because it allows them to get as close to the World Class experience as possible without paying the full cost of a World Class corps, paying for travel, or it gives them the experience they need to join a World Class corps in the future. Widening the gap between World Class and Open Class will only hurt Open Class, both in the quality of the product, the experience, and the recruitment. One of the main reasons for the name change was to try to diminish the perception of Open Class being inferior. Cutting the tour would make it worse. There's also the fact that in some regions of the country, high schools don't get out until around June 15. Corps in these areas already can't start all-days until 6/20 or so... with 2 weeks of all days you're giving these kids a 2-3 week period to schedule all their shows before Finals Week... it isn't feasible.

I would love to read the presentation, but I cannot get it to function. Is there any other format?

This is a running joke in the NW: The Oreattle Cruthundercades!

Mike Stevens has, by all accounts, put his body and soul into the Cascades this year. I'm also fairly certain that he is either going without pay or accepting the bare minimum for his services. I would (and do) question a lot of things regarding the Cascades' situation, but Mr. Stevens' motives are genuine.

We had 5 at camp the day after Scades announced the changes to their members. Who knows?

Actually, a lot of Cascades hornline vets got into BD, SCV, etc. Probably some in part because of the rule change. Seattle has had amps since 2005, I don't see how that's especially relevant.

If they won't allow the Top 6 from Open Class to compete in Quarters, which they should, why not: Quarters: All World Class corps (20) Semis: Top 16 Finals: Top 12 ?

As a NW resident in a band program with friends in lots of other succesful band programs, it looked like Cascades recruitment before the audition season was practically non-existant. There was an Oregon Crusaders poster and a letter from the OC director given to many band directors in Oregon and Washington. From Cascades, I saw no comparable effort.

When was the last time a Div 1 corps marched more or less than 5 basses?

Um... it's 21, with the ability to turn 22 during all-days/tour without being ineligible.

1st Phantom 2nd Blue Devils 3rd Cavaliers 4th Cadets 5th SCV 6th Crown 7th Blue Knights 8th Bluecoats 9th Boston 10th Academy 11th Colts 12th Blue Stars 13th Madison Scouts 14th Glassmen 15th Spirit 16th Crossmen 17th Troopers 18th Pacific Crest 19th Cascades 20th Mandarins 21st Pioneer