HolyName06

I guess I don't spend enough time on here to know that...

You know for someone who has posted on this forum 227 times, I would like to think that if you're going to post on a forum with people who know what they're talking about that you would have the tact to post something that was intelligent. Then again, you ARE from Louisiana...you'd probably use that money to buy beer anyways... (see I can do it too...) Geaux Tigers

I am not the head of any drum corps, however I have been around most levels of the activity, so I’ll attempt to provide some insight as far as DCI (I am not too familiar with DCA corps to be honest) 1) The short answer to all of your questions is money. To my knowledge, there is nothing that DCI can do specifically to create a drum corps aside from offering the new corps’ directors guidance. Obviously the activity is non-profit based, and as a result, substantial amounts of money are necessary in order for a corps to operate during a season. Frankly operating DCI is like operating/marketing a drum corps. For a more competitive corps, you’re easily looking at $1,000,000+ in expenses. Unfortunately, because there is such a huge demand for these corps’ to be seen, they have to travel larger distances to expose themselves to a greater audience. And there are more expenses that go into it when you consider food, housing, fuel, staffing, and several other factors. It used to be that neighborhoods would sponsor an area drum corps, and maybe on occasion they’d go out of town and compete/perform with other area corps. For a long time drum corps was a very regionalized activity, so you didn’t see as many corps travel across the country like you see today; this was mainly pre-DCI whenever the VFW, American Legion, and other similar championships were the things to do until their demise in the early 70’s. Back then drum corps were paid more the higher that they placed, so corps’ who would travel cross-country and place last often lost money, which was a serious problem if you didn’t have any to begin with. There was a need for change. So when DCI was created, drum corps went mainstream, or so to say. As the years progressed, corps needed more money to travel and compete with the demands of a DCI tour, and as a result more groups folded. So unless some of your closest friends are millionaires, I would be implored to tell you that creating a drum corps in these times is near impossible. We can talk about bailouts and whatnot, but that would be nothing more than wishful thinking. That and I don’t want to bring up a heated political discussion about something that Washington shouldn’t have to subsidize. I might be going out on a limb here, but since the creation of DCI, there has actually been a decrease in opportunity being that there are drastically fewer corps when compared to 30 years ago. The reality is that you either have the money to do it or you don’t, and this activity isn’t cheap...I’m sure you are very aware of this if you are a father of someone who has marched. 2) DCI doesn’t bring in enough profit to have the marketing strategies of other larger non-profit companies because a generous part of their proceeds go towards offsetting the cost of school uses, stadiums, marketing, operations, financial compensation, and to help aid the competing corps’...and to make sure all of the judges get to all of the shows and they have nice comfortable rocks to sleep on...well, that or they pay good money to have them run around the field with sticks up their a**es. I think if they did more publications like issuing press releases for their shows (especially for the open-class corps) that they would be best off utilizing local media to do their job for them. I used to march for a Div. III corps, so I know what it’s like to be neglected by DCI. The music world is very small, so I would imagine that exposure is obtained through conventions and general hype by educators, fans, parents, and members. Broadcasting Quarter Finals live in the theaters, but I highly doubt they profit anything after operational costs. I know I do what I can. The sad truth is that when people are introduced to the activity, they’re shown a show from one of the “big boys.” I mean, you’re not going to show them a video of the Cherrychoke Brigadiers from 1982, you’re going to show them Madison ’95, Cadets ’00, Star ’93, Phantom ’96, Blue Devils ’99, Cavaliers ’02, etc. 3) Going off of my previous statements...40 years ago, yes. This day and age with the current trend in competition, I’m afraid not. I do believe that those who participate in the activity will enjoy a life-changing experience that cannot be duplicated by any other activity. But the sad truth is that, as with most other things, drum corps is fueled by money. If there is a will, I am sure there is a way. I know that most of the people in the activity are middle-class Americans and that a good number of them sacrifice things like relationships, work, and college in order to participate. After having done this activity for multiple years, it gets to a point where being in a corps is not so much vanity, but rather an obligation. For some people, life gets put on hold. That’s the sacrifice that we make. That being said, anyone can learn how to march, much the same that anyone can learn how to spin, though there has to be the fundamental ability to play an instrument or dance with a modern drum corps. I know Cavaliers who had never spin before they auditioned, and while I was at Revolution there was a tenor player, who had only been playing drums for a year, could out-play most guys in DCI. I know that I am not one to speak for other people, but I understand that you want the activity to be more accessible for young people. It is a wonderful activity. I just wish money wasn’t as big of a factor as it is. Hope my insight helps out! Sincerely, Travis Fisk

That's really ####ed up...seriously

Call me crazy, but that's the way it used to be to too long ago...A few of the Div II corps' would compete at quarter finals...

I’m aroused...

And just to drive the point home...Barack Obama said the Back of the Bus Sucks... True story.

This might be a wakeup call for everyone to drink their #### OJ... ...no pulp please

I thought I needed to make a logical argument to drive home the fact that the Back of the Bus, indeed, sucks. If you associated the seating orientation of the bus as line you would stand in, you can safely say the the Front of the Bus would take the roll of being at the top. If you're on top, you can't f*** up. So by default, if you're on the bottom (in this case, the BOTB) you automatically accept that you are already f***ing up. Since f***ing up insinuates failure, through which a substandard performance is delivered, we can now logically conclude that f***ing up can synonymously be interchanged with sucking. Therefore, the Back of the Bus Sucks. Amen.

Front of the bus, for me, had a few practical advantages... I learned how to turn the bus on....seems stupid enough, but if it's right after a show and its hotter than the surface of the sun inside and the driver is nowhere to be found, I'm an instant hero (its a little more complicated than turning a key) FOTB controlled the movies... FOTB had the stairs in case you needed to have some quiet time for a phone conversation.... FOTB stairs gave you a little privacy in case you needed to #### into a Gatorade bottle...cause the restroom was always filled with BOTB ####... FOTB had electrical outlets so we could charge cell phones and plug in our laptops... FOTB claimed control of the PA and stereo in the event of a bus war... ... BOTB likes it in the rear... ...it's science.

We all have our reasons. What are yours?

Just out of curiosity, did you have them transpose or just hold down the third valve?

Hmm...if they're still sick, maybe they should buy into the grass... ...for medicinal purposes, of course...

But then again it's much easier to be presumptuous about a corps you weren't a part of...i'm just saying be careful in case some over-protective band mom comes on here... These guns were made for killing.... ...btw, anyone catch a glimpse of Madison's guard kissin their guns at the end of their opener?

Aside from running 6 miles, hitting the weights, getting my dog groomed, and studying for my LSAT...I amuse myself by watching people make predictions and assumptions that don't really mean anything or make any sort of difference. You could give them a 50 and I/They still wouldn't care. Its just presumptuous that you're generalizing the fate of other corps' placement based on irrelevant information. You might see DCI as a venue for competition. And while it is to an extent, I see it as a venue for entertainment. You wouldn't go and criticize Cirque du Soleil and Barnum and Bailey, would you? Enjoy the activity for what it is and stop being so objective. After all, its just marching band. Marching Band?!?

...this thread accomplishes nothing.

Maybe if they build their own "door" they'll come out of it as a judge...its worked before...

But then again, Bertman knows not to f*** with the hornline too much cause they'd eventually retaliate or something...i.e. messing with him in the shower, screaming as loud as humanly possible, or just anything to completely throw him off. A lot of people at UH like to press his buttons...lol, he's funny when he gets upset cause you know you can't take him seriously...most of the time.

During a Cadets' visual rehearsal after several reps: Mello player: "Hey, Sully, we haven't had water in a long time." Marc Sullivan: "Yeah, and I haven't had sex in a long time. AGAIN!!"

That's a pretty cocky thing to say, seeing as how for some reason you're presuming that their audition process doesn't apply to you...you're just...in. lol

As in not knowing the proper spelling of "Bluecoats." Yes I'm serious.

I wouldn't fret too much about it...it's only shows a lack of intelligence. And while we're on the subject, it's not "cavies." It's Cavaliers.

You smell that? it smells like... ...fear

Despite what everyone has heard or thinks about him, he's a very respectable and professional man. As far as sleep...let's just say that they need to dedicate a Starbucks in his honor...seriously...

I'm not here to say that there is some sort of scoring conspiracy, but having a non-traditional lineup might induce more honest scoring. But then again, traditionally the expectations from the corps rise as the evening progresses. The only thing worse than not having a full house watch your show is when everyone leaves before your show starts because they've already seen what they want to see. Not that it ever happens, but maybe the systems works out the way it does for a reason...