bigCPApi

Come to think of it, they've been in the "new" unis for 8 seasons (2004-2011). Methinks it's time for a refresh! :) Then again - the "old" jackets that they wore w/ white pants lasted from oh, 1990 to 1998. Two years more, if you count once they sold 'em to Tarheel Sun.

This +++. Way to stand tall, SOA.

BD also had some MAJOR redesigns, IIRC, between their early-season product and what they brought to Madison.

Gotta give some love to 2008 - after a couple of weaker years, it said to me "we're still alive." Can't vote for my year :) Voting for 2001, 1998 (rips you out of your seat from the first second) and 1990 (which I'm now going back to listen to again).

Also, tell him that if he gets more than five zeroes on the summer, Bones will devour his soul.

Bones just gotta keep on pushing. Not sure I understand what you mean by high-brow... although SOA is a little more on the sultry side - just the way I like 'em. Only comment with SOA is that they REALLY need to take the gunshot SFX out of the iPod and into the drumline. Was not effective at the Arlington show.

Just a friendly bit of advice, as someone who has compulsively followed the home team's scores for the past couple of years. You'll see a lot of numbers going up on the interwebs. Ignore them all. It's a piece of advice that's equally as valid for your rookie. As far as he's concerned, his performance can be scored in binary: zero or one. If he gave it everything he had (assuming a son - I can't be gender neutral) - in rehearsal that day, in the show that night - the score was a one. If not, it's a zero. The rest of the numbers will follow.

Colder weather = better, especially after pushing through some hellatious hot & humid days. Finals at Madison in 2002 may as well have been at the North Pole - it felt SO good. A lot easier to focus on performing when you're not melting inside your uniform.

I know the guy who uploaded the video. He brought a pair of drum corps n00bs to the show, and the looks on their faces were absolutely priceless. Also re: tempos - I can only imagine that Ursa Major is going to get brought up by about 10 or 20 clicks by midseason. I distinctly remember that we did the same thing with our opener in 02... brought it up from like 150-155 to 168 bpm. Muscle memory just has to kick in - the instinct to flat-out PERFORM is there, though.

Capes and double sashes. Very 1978. And they got to do the encore tonight, too.

Just as true today as it was 35 years ago.

Hear hear. Ready to have the Naffier/Beddis book melt my face and groove me out of my shoes. I seem to remember them working pretty well the last time around

I am there, and pretty psyched. Have seen some recordings of Spirit and Bones - definitely hyping both (although I'm an admitted homer for both). Other thread going on here: http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/index.php/topic/146326-drum-major-salutes-rules-the-roost/ Crossmen rehearsing at Suitland HS 5200 Silver Hill Road Forestville, MD 20747

Daryl Pemberton writes a beast of a drill. Unforgiving at times - but the bigger the challenge, the more the Crossmen rise to meet it.

Don't know about that - it reminds me a lot of the on-field warmup from last year. EEeeeeerie, and very effective for Bones to appear, IMO Guidry, is that seriously your voice doing the intro?