DCI dad

Blue Devils

Prediction: BD 92.3 Bluecoats 91.2 Spirit 81.0 Madison 78.4 Cascades 77.1 Pioneer 70.8

I agree with most all of the above. Was a big fan of last years show. Have been lucky enough to see Crown live several times this year....WOW Sound is ...WOW. Thanks for a great show! Can't wait to get the APD from S.A. 2nite.

If you 've never seen the 1977 Bridgemen show...I highly recommend the 1977 Legacy DVD. Great classic shows...and the Bridgemen were smokin!

Spirit!! (Also biased...but hopeful)

1. Blue Devils 2. Cadets 3. Cavaliers 4. Bluecoats 5. SCV 6. Crown 7.Phantom 8. Boston 9. BK 10. Colts 11. SPIRIT 12. Blue Stars 13. Glassmen 14. Academy Only basing Academy shift on adjustments finally meeting rest of field. I can't wait to see the feed tomorrow to make up my own mind. Spirit & Blue Stars overtake Glassmen as they stall out a bit. Have seen top 3 several times live.. I think this is a Blue Devil's year. **my opinions**

Thanks! Anyone that can give up that much time and effort. Then get second guessed by knuckleheads like us ..gets my respect. Beside any show with Georgia or Sweet Georgia Brown is a winner in my book.

Decompressed ...what years did you teach?

Thanks! We needed that! LOL

Did you enjoy the show?

By the way, SkyRyder, tell your daughter the Blue Stars have a great show this year and best of luck to both SPIRIT and Blue Stars this season. Hope we can both avoid the Academy buzzsaw.

If my kid was the one bad mouthing anyone...YOU should have called him out at that moment. That's what I would have done and I would have expected of any adult sitting nearby. If they continued YOU should have gotten their name(also on their member jacket) and contacted Ken Bodiford immediately. Either way...problem would have been solved without 18 pages of disparagement on a forum the kids cannot see.

HERE IS ANOTHER SCARY THING TO CONSIDER. SOME GUY OVERHEARS TWO TEENAGERS AT A DRUM CORPS SHOW "TRASH TALKING OTHER CORPS". RATHER THAN CALLING THEM OUT ON IT, HE POSTS IT ON DCP WHERE 500 PEOPLE IN 24HRS READ THE POST THAT SAYS "SPIRIT OF JSU MEMBERS=NO CLASS". WE AS READERS ARE NOT PRIVY TO WHAT WAS SAID. WE ONLY READ THE NEGATIVE HEADLINE..TRASHING ALL SPIRIT OF JSU MEMBERS. FAIR ASSESSMENT? I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MARCHING BAND AND ATTENDED DRUM CORPS SHOWS FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS. BELIEVE ME...I HAVE HEARD IT ALL. MEMBERS BASHING OTHER CORPS/BANDS, STAFFS BASHING OTHER CORPS/BANDS, FANS/FAMILY MEMBERS BASHING OTHER GROUPS. IT HAPPENS! GET OVER IT! IF THEY ARE SPEAKING LOUD ENOUGH FOR OTHERS TO HEAR...CALL THEM OUT. I HAD SPEAK OUT TO SOME FANS LAST NIGHT AT A SHOW. THEY BAD MOUTHED SEVERAL CORPS WHILE ALL DECKED OUT IN THEIR TOP6 CORPS GEAR. DOES THAT MAKE THAT CORPS CLASSLESS? WOULD IT MATTER IF THEIR KID WAS A MEMBER OF THAT TOP 6 CORPS? WOULD IT MATTER THAT ONE OF THEM WAS WEARING A TOP6 CORPS STAFF BADGE? NOOOO! BOTTOM LINE I PAID TO SEE THE CORPS PERFORM AND SUPPORT THE ACTIVITY I HAVE ENJOYED FOR YEARS. TALK OVER THE CORPS OR BAD MOUTH THE OTHER PERFORMERS AND YOU WILL GET CALLED OUT ON IT. REMIND THEM IF THEY ARE NOT ON THE FIELD PERFORMING THEY ARE A FAN OBSERVING...SHUT UP. CALLING OUT THESE KIDS ON DCP WHERE NONE OF THEM CAN SEE SERVES NO PURPOSE. HANDLE IT LIKE AN ADULT AND DEAL WITH IT THEN ..OR CONTACT THE DIRECTOR.

Brass & Percussion scores move SPIRIT into evening show. Go Spirit!!

I was drum major of my high school band( and a woodwind player..didn't know any better at the time). We had two trumpet players that joined "some group" called 27th Lancers. We decided to make a trip to see them and what better opportunity than 1980 DCI Finals 4hrs away in Birmingham, AL. (shows my age) My opinion one of the greatest years 1st -12th in history of DCI. (Blue Devils, 27, Bridgemen, Spirit, Madison, SCV,North Star) I was blown away by the incredible moving performance by SPIRIT of Atlanta. I still have cassette recordings made from the LPs of finals from 1980 ( cassettes? LPs?) My son has grown up listening to those recordings for all of his 18 years. Now we've come full circle. In 2005, my son joined Spirit from JSU as a 15year old trumpet and is now a 3rd year vet. 1980 I saw Spirit play Georgia at Finals......2007 my son is the Georgia soloist for Spirit. Folks..it doesn't get any better than that. :) Steve J. DCI dad

You could skip the afternoon session.....but why? This year in particular, there will be some great shows in the afternoon. Besides, would you rather be doing yard work? I remember 2 years ago @ the Alamodome, SPIRIT did the afternoon show then added the NEON GREEN DELTA move in the evening show. I love surprises!!! Drum Corps.....it's FANNNNNNNTASTIC!

1. Cadets 2. Blucoats 3. SCV 4.Blue Devils 5. Cavies 6. Phantom 7. Crown 8.BK 9. BAC 10. Spirit 11. Colts 12. Blue Stars 13. Glassmen Academy in Semis

My son decided to audition at age 14 with SPIRIT. He planned on using it as a learning experience for the next year. He prepared well and worked hard and actually made the corps. He is now a 3 year vet with SPIRIT. Several of his friends chose to start at Memphis Sound or others and they too had great experiences. Bottom line is give it your best shot and you never know what might happen. My son also loved that Blue Devil show with "When a man loves a woman" , now his caption head is the screamer soloist from that show(Dr. Chip Crotts). Like the previous poster said...practice, workout, prepare.....& Go For It! DCI dad

Way to go SPIRIT!! :)

Way to go SPIRIT :)

Lowend, Referring to the SPIRIT"s placement during the "JSU years". Ask the Colts if they would be interested in those placements. Colts were 15th,16th,16th,13th,13th in those same years.(And I liked the Colts last 2 years) I too hope to see upward movement by Spirit, but just last time I checked there are usually only 12 spots at finals and the past 2 years all 12 have been strong. This year should be just as tough.

I agree with VKMello84. This should be a great summer with much improved corps from 10-15. I can't wait until DCI Georgia Dome so I can see more of these performances.

Being a world class performer that has the utmost respect of the kids doesn't hurt. Throw in the fact that you are a college professor who spends the rest of your time TEACHING this age kids trumpet and jazz and what more do you want?

I am NOT speaking for SPIRIT from JSU. I am not speaking for the university. However, regarding the above speculation <**> . JSU has the finest marching band program in the south (my opinion) and I went to another big SEC school in the state. The staff members involved in SPIRIT are some of the most qualified you will find in the activity. Former Blue Devils soloists, former BLAST! members, Directors of Band programs from all over the country. Yes, I have a kid in SPIRIT, but I have followed drum corps since the late 70's (yes I'm a geezer). You want to throw names around like Wayne Downey and G. Hopkins. Think they get an extra point here or there because of their name? Maybe. Personally, if a certain trumpet player is good enough to tour with Maynard Ferguson and Ray Charles, I would never question his qualifications. I would be proud to have him teach my kid. Bottom line...the kids love the staff. They kids learn a lot. They work their butts off. They put out a quality show. Have either of you guys even seen their show live this year? You guys kill me.

I've seen SPIRIT live @ Alpharetta, GA and at Russellville, AL. Plus the video feed from Annapolis. Trust me they will be fine. The music is more complex and the drill is considerably more complicated then the past few years. They just need to clean the drill. It's one of my favorite Spirit shows in the last 10 years. AND if you believe some degree of slotting actually occurs (which I do)... Then consider who SPIRIT has competed against thus far. They had not competed against a corps that placed out of finals until last nite (Southwind). That was 6 shows head to head with: Cavies(once) Cadets(6 times) Bluecoats(once) Crown(6 times) Glassmen(once) Boston(5 times) Phantom(once) Southwind(once)only nonfinalist so far The next week should cause an increase in score both due to cleaning and due to the mix of corps they will see. (in my opinion) B)