LoveKathyG

SIAP but I need performance times for Walnut. Will be leaving a wedding reception early and am hoping to catch my cousin's kid in Mandarins. Can someone supply?

Wow. Could not possibly be any further on the other side of this argument.

Wow, never saw that coming. Clever. Really. Mean it. So let me get this right... Because BD told you they're really aBsUrD wAcKy CRRRAAAAAAZY, that means they are? This is exactly my beef with BD. They are so freaking literal with everything they do that there's very little subtlety. Very little nuance. Putting chairs on a field is not avant garde. It take no imagination, and it certainly did not capture mine. Pretending you're a tight rope walker doesn't make you edgy. It's hit you over the head, "I'm going to tell you how cool we are and if YOU'RE cool then you'll agree" drum corps. Frankly, it's drum corps for joiners. (And let's be honest... Shouldn't the fact that BD is hugely popular with the high school band kids tell you something about how edgy they are? I'm sure I'll be hated for saying it, but that kind of defines pedestrian.) Combining elements in ways that haven't been done before and doing it in a way that produces something that is fundimentally different than anything that's come before it...that's what it is to be avant garde. Devils do it bigger, better, brasher. They are very, very good what they do. They're clean. They take on some of the toughest shows year in and year out. Their swagger is unmatched. They're entertaining. I will take nothing away from their accomplishments in these areas. But I'm sorry... They do not get credit for being avant garde. Then again, maybe my standards are too high. I mean, they were the first corps to ever utter the word "yowza" on the field. That's pretty crazazy edgy, yo!

Of all the descriptors i would use for Blue Devils, avant garde is not one of them. Avant garde connotes a willingness to fly in the face of convention, even when doing so comes at a price. That describes Cadets. That describes Vanguard. BD is truly one of the last top 6 corps that I would say is avant garde. BD's innovations have always been within a very narrow, calculated bandwidth. They have the illusion of being edgy because of their hard-hitting, jazz oriented style, but what they do isn't truly edgy. Any edge they approach has already been crossed by someone else. They just do it better and cleaner.

Boy, talk about being to far into the forrest you can't see the trees. This will bring in no new fans. We have the fans we have. Doing a sped-up Superbowl extravaganza on wheels is not going to expand the activity's popularity, but it will certainly alienate a lot of existing fans.

George Hopkins is a Nazi! (I'm not really sure what this means, but it's the argument most used in highly polarized political discussions these days...so it seemed appropriate.)

CC is just building hype. Use every little advantage to get the crowds into you, get the judges behind you, get the judgement calls, get the placement bump. Hyped end of 2009 season = hyped 2010 preseason. Hyped preseason = hyped fans and hyped early season. Hyped early season = get the judges behind you for the late season. Get the judging hype late in the season = high placement. It's not exactly that simple but we all know that it is a factor. CC has been managing their hype very, very well the last few seasons. This is just another piece. There are a couple other top 6 corps who could learn a few things about how CC has built their little run in recent years. It's talent, but it's a lot of hype too. I just used the word hype ten times in a relatively short post. That's gotta be a record of some sort. EPIC!

Couldn't really care less what BD is doing. Based on the last few years, I'm pretty sure they'll be my popcorn corps.

SCV would really be my only choice.

Just learned last weekend that Phillip and Ira Glass are cousins. Thought that was really interesting. In fact, Ira uses Phillip music on his show sometimes.

In 25 trips to championships, I have bought tickets from DCI or Ticketmaster only once or twice. I've never had a problem getting excellent seats between the 40's (usually between the 45's) at my preferred elevation (between 35 and 50 rows up) from a private party...almost always from another DCP or RAMD poster. On one hand, I want to kick anyone's butt who buys from any other source. On the other hand, if everyone did what I do, I'd have a much more difficult time getting the tickets I do. : )

I'm taking this as a very positive sign. I strongly suspect this signals acknowledgement from those in power in the DCI governing structure that fans must be listened to...that there IS no activity if there are no fans...and that they cannot operate in a vacuum. It's been a LONG time, IMHO, since the DCI govern bodies as a whole have been responsive to fan voices. It's about freakin' time. Personally, I hope they are quaking in their boots that the fan base may be falling out from under them. That would be appropriate, because I believe it is falling out from under them. And to those who say this is a placating move...fine, I say. I have worked in public policy positions for a long time, and it is not at all uncommon for major shifts to start through placating moves like this one. The key is for us fans to keep expressing our discontent. That said, don't get me wrong. I'm not villainizing everyone at DCI and all BOD members. I have seen that many individuals among the DCI management and BOD group act conscientiously and in the best interests of all constituent groups (i.e. members, alums, fans, etc.) HOWEVER, I have been unnerved by the disregard, patronizing and in some cases disdain exhibited by others...some of whom very publically and sanctimoniously wrap themselves in grand philosophical statements that ultimately amount to self-serving, self-aggrandizing BS. And sadly, these voices, though often small in number, have too often carried the day over the last few decades. If I am not being terribly veiled in my allusions, I make no apologies. After years and years of being dismissed, I am angry. I have been a DCI apologist. I have taken the high road. I've communicated my discontent directly with those who I beleive are not acting in the best interest of the activity. But I have not seen much action that constitutes substantive righting of the ship. But this development does give me hope. So, today is a good day.

I won't be going back to Indy. Only the third time in 26 years I will have missed a championship. Other times due to death in family and living out of the country. My reasons aren't all about sound. It's largely about sight lines too. I am just not interested in paying top dollar to look through a glass panel. Some people in the most expensive seats were actually looking through two glass panels. No thanks. I can just go to the live telecast at the theater and get that. I cannot express passionately enough how much I hate that stadium. Love Indy. Love the people there. Had a great time in every other regard. But the viewing experience in that stadium was so odious to me that I wouldn't go back if the tickets were free.

I would have zero, zip, zilch, nil problem with it. I think the copyright laws are ridiculous where non-profits are concerned. I get that you shouldn't be able to record professionals who are performing for profit. That's their livelihood. But I think part of the quid-pro-quo for getting non-profit status should be that you don't get treated the same as for-profits do. Small devices for personal use should be a-ok. Personally, I wouldn't do it because I'm not one to go back and watch over-and-over (I don't even think I've watched any of the shows I marched in more than a couple times), but I do not care about others who do. And I would lay odds that allowing people to record on their own would have minimal effect on sales. Think about kids dance recitals. I've never run into one that you CAN'T bring your own camera, but video sales are through the roof.

If they're willing to forego their competitive status and take on someone who's almost twice the age limit, I'm game.

I absolutely love Stanford's band. Their tribute to the Irish Potato Famine at Notre Dame and Tribute to the OJ Jury Selection Process at USC are priceless. And this coming from a Notre Dame alum.

I'd choose UCSB #1 in a heart beat. There's no marching band close by, but it's a really beautiful campus and fun town. Other than that, RCC really is your best choice. You could concurrently enroll at both UCR and RCC. The only small bummer for you is that you'll have to pay a $181 non-resident base fee to register for the band class (or whatever it's called) plus $26/unit. Probably cost you around $260 total. That said, UCR is one of the least desirable UC campuses. Apologies to any UCR students or alum, but the truth is that UCR and Merced are the ugly step-sisters in the UC system. Kind of remote, undesirable locations. Not as prestigious as the other UC's. UCR's stock has risen over the last 10 to 15 years, but it's still kind of an also-ran. Pretty universally, the UC's are seen as... Top Tier: Berkeley and UCLA Excellent but don't have the reputation and luster of the top tier: San Diego, Irvine, maybe Davis Strong: Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz Coming up in the world but probably won't ever get to mid-pack because of location: Riverside Also ran: Merced...mostly because they're just too new...and location. Very undesirable location. Virtually no campus life since they're still in their infancy. So, if you're making your choice based on academic credentials, you'd want to go San Diego. Maaaaaybe Davis. If you want to mix fun, sun, beautiful location with solid academics, I'd choose UCSB. If you want to factor in the marching band thing, Riverside is fine. But Riverside will never get an "ooooooooo" from employers or med schools who know the system. And to be honest, I'd scratch Merced off the list.

But. But. But...George said B-flat bugles would expand the activities appeal!!! “The inclusion of B-flat instruments has made all the difference in the world in legitimizing our position in the world of music,” said DCI Executive Director Dan Acheson. Mmmhmm...

Now... Does being conceived on tour count? Cuz if it does, then 8. If not, then 7. (Before I sully my mother's reputation, I was not conceived on tour.) (It was at the banquet.)

Not trying to be snarky, but my question in response would be why is it that Cadets fans seem to be bigger martyrs than any other corps?

I'm guessing you can pretty much tell who's been around the activity a long time from the responses. There seems to be a split between older vs. newer fans and alum. My favorites are: #1 - Cadets (which is saying a lot since I'm not much of a fan) #2 - Crown #3 - Phantom's all black or all white (ok, I'm going further back than the 2000's with this one) #4 - Cavs #5 - SCV (especially 2004 and 2009) #6 - Crusaders. Dead last place... Blue Devils, and I really dislike their extended sash, as people have been calling them. Total bando yuck in my opinion. But kind of goes with their recent approach to drum corps... which is total bando yuck. So at least they're being consistent.

The Rose Parade opener had to be designed by someone with drum corps or marching band experience. The commentators said that it was produced by someone named Steve Dolum (not sure about the spelling of the last name). Does anyone know if he has a drum corps background or if there was someone else we would know who designed the marching elements? Since it was RCC who served as opening segment band, it may have been Gary Locke.

RCC runs an amazing program. Their winterguard is Fantasia. (Actually, I don't know if there's an official relationship any more, but Fantasia was founded at RCC and operated under their auspices for many years.) They marching band is easily the best college band I've ever seen. I know it's not apples-to-apples, but I would guess they would place top 8 to 12 any year in DCI if they changed their instrumentation.

I got a rock. Oh wait... No, that's what I got for Halloween.

My vote... The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps - 1988 "Concerto for Guitar and Jazz Orchestra" Discuss...