pianolover1

I have been proposing for almost 10 years now that we ought to return to the "aught system" used last century. It was so quaint......I marched in the aught-seven Blue Devils (no, I didn't.but you get the idea). ((Tongue planted firmly in cheek)!!!!!!

Such anger and resentment. I laughed when I read the original quote and it reminded of that workshop. That's all. No further intentions meant. I didn't care who won this year and I wouldn't cast aspersions on one of my favorite Santa Clara shows (1978). I had just never seen a comparison done like that before and under the tick system it made sense to cut down on playing time. He made the point that in the 30-45 second difference between the # 1 and # 2 horn-lines and drum-lines , couldn't there have been 2-3 ticks that would have made a difference in the scores. Someone is awfully touchy!!!!!!!! As for my credibility and objectivity.I don't care what YOU think of me.

In January of 1979 the Michigan Color Guard Circuit had George Zingali in for a workshop. He went over the DCI tapes from 1978 and came to the the same conclusion. He had actually compared how many minutes Phantom's horn line( high brass in 1978) had played compared to the others and Santa Clara's drum line( high drums in 1978) as well. I think he counted how many seconds SCV used the finger cymbals in the Khachaturian piece. He was on a roll. He then described what 27th's show would be the next year ( it wasn't..........but how he could entertain). They were going to open with " Last Dance" by Donna Summer... with a long extended brass solo , with the corps doing difficult drill work, and the guard was going to wear silver lame and do all this body stuff. It was great. It just goes to show you there are no new ideas.

The only thing is Dan Potter needs to learn how to pronounce "Bernstein". It is pronounced like a stein of beer. Both Rondo and him pronounce it wrong. Carl Bernstein (of Watergate fame) and Elmer Bernstein ( a movie composer ) pronounce it the other way (Burn-steen). Never heard any serious musician pronounce it that way and from his obituary: " A sense of his origins, however, remained strong. Koussevitzky proclaimed him a genius and probable future musical director of the Boston Symphony - ''The boy is a new Koussevitzky, a reincarnation!'' - but the older conductor urged Mr. Bernstein to improve his chances for success by changing his name. The young musician replied: ''I'll do it as Bernstein or not at all!'' He pronounced the name in the German way, as BERN-stine, and could no more abide the pronounciation BERN-steen than he could enjoy being called ''Lenny'' by casual acquaintances."

Is a wafro....a white person trying to wear an afro. GUILTY as charged.

WARNING KIND OF OFF TOPIC.....more of commentary on judging. While I don't often 100% agree with DCI judging, at least it isn't as whacko as this organization my daughter's HS belonged to. They took 1-act plays or cuttings of longer plays and went to districts (45 minute time limit), and if you qualified to regionals, and then if you qualified to state (like many other contests). It was similar to early drum corps, an area was marked off and no students could enter that area until the timing began, and they had to clear the set and any miscellaneous stuff during the 45 minutes. No adult could help during the 45 minutes unless life or limb were in peril. It was very interesting to see them unfold a set, deliver their lines and choreography, etc. and have the time limit factored in. Only there was no consistency in the judging and often the judges would get so negative with the kids (one bragged he was the HS Simon Cowell). I could never understand it. At Regionals we took superior honors in set design (over all the schools there), so we had one week ( actually less than one week) to prepare for state..........would you change your set then? The first thing out of the judges' mouths at state were " I didn't like that set", "The set really didn't work", " That set is too white". I felt like I was in LaLa land. As one of the instructors for them, I could hardly justify competing under circumstances like that. In Band or Orchestra competition in our state....if you hear at districts "your woodwinds are outstanding" at state you will probably hear at least " your woodwinds are your strongest section" or something like that. I then realized plays were more like paintings almost an individual taste where in music there is a somewhat standard interpretation ( you would get bombed playing Beethoven's 9th or Rocky Point at 80 m.m. or for playing Claire De Lune ....Stacatto).

1981 Santa Clara finished 2nd or 3rd behind BD and Madison, until the last 2 weeks where they went undefeated.The finished 3rd at DCI Mddwest (Madison 1, BD 2). Of course during those 2 weeks they never met Madison od Blue Devils again until Montreal. But they peaked that show at the right time. I often said Bo Schembechler (famous UM football coach) should take lessons from Gail Royer on how to peak at the right time. They would win all these big games, often go undefeated and then go embarrass themselves in a bowl game. Shortly after that (Garfield) Cadets learned to do the same thing. Take some losses early on, but peak at championship time. Oh another one, I swore 1995 was between Cadets and Blue Devils, but was also surprised and happy to see the Cavies win with the Planets. Usually (not so much in the last 10 years) if the Blue Devils were to win, they would come out of the gate strong and stay that way.......undefeated or nearly so.

Somebody should say something nice about Whitewater. Housing ( at that time.......I don't know now) was non-existent. You had to stay in Madison or Janesville. But I had so many happy memories there.........the first time I saw SCV against Madison (75 DCI Midwest) ...........I'd seen SCV in a clinic the year before.............but my first real contest was there................so it was the first time I saw the Kilties, the Troopers, the Blue Devils, The Blue Stars, the Phantom Regiment, The Cavaliers,...........etc. I am not saying it would make a good housing site now...................but it must hold millions of memories of a lot of drum corps fans (just a few thousand of my own). I really had little fault with any of the sites, I made sure I had fun at all of them. We even had a nice motel on the North side in Miami. One of the city parking attendants tried to hit me up for more than the parking fee ( He said he would watch my car extra carefully for $15 more). I replied Hell, I don't care, it's a rental..it's not mine, do you want the keys? Drum corps, because I was so interested in it, took me outside my comfort zone. I went from Ithaca, New York to Garfield, New Jersey to Birmingham, Atlanta, Miami,Orlando, Kansas City, Denver, Madison, Whitewater, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Hamilton , Ontario, and Montreal. Thanks for the memories Drum Corps. (Missed Jackson and Dallas ...sounds like I didn't miss much but the heat). DRUM CORPS!!!!!!

I guess I was there for the drum corps and didn't notice the rocks (other than the ones rattlin' around in my head). Thanks for clarifying.

Just looking at it from an unemotional or marketing angle not rooting for one corps or another....I DID NOT PUT THE BLUE DEVILS DOWN IN ANY WAY............just what if the Miami Dolphins (1972 undefeated-considered by many the greatest NFL team of all time) were to win every 3rd year or the Boston Celtics (which won 11/13 times 57-69) had continued winning that way. Nowadays fans would get bored. Ratings would be down. Likewise this year the NBA had a big raise in their ratings with a Celtics/Lakers Finals. Not that DCI should change scoring to improve ratings. Some Blue Devils shows I think are classic and some bore the S&*%^ out of me, which I can say for almost all corps. Sorry I offended you Blue Devil sensibilities.

Boy does that clear some cobwebs. I remember thinking the same thing about that tune years ago. Phantom's ballad..the first 6 notes are the same and almost the same rhythm as the Beginning od "Stormy Weather". the words are "Sing once again with me Our strange duet My power over you grows match note for note with "You are my hiding place, You always fill my heart with songs..." listen here or http://www.my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2/hiding.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andrew Lloyd Webber was sued for the main theme of Phantom ( and I believe he lost the case) by a Catholic music Composerm Ray Repp. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...751C1A96E958260 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ano

Amen to that. When one organization has won 1/3 of your titles, it does get boring. Some years I wanted to start a group called the A.B.D.D.(Anybody but the Blue Devils). They have the staff and usually the talent to win it that many times, but just think how boring sports would be if 1/3 of the titles belonged to one team.

I don't understand what you said about the parking lot. Was it too small or what? I was there in 2001 and we had just gotten a new mini-van (our first..we were late coming to the party) and I remember looking and finding it in a sea of cars parked in the parking lot. It was a different shade of blue, quite pretty. But it was a '97 Ford that had the head gasket problem show up a bit later and F&*(( didn't stand behind it and we lost our shirt on it.

Haven't a clue!!!!!

Now that takes the cake as the uckiest looking uniform. Would any self-respecting "guy" wear that??????

However they are mocking and ridiculing another organization where there kids work just as hard. Just because they are Cavaliers or BLue Devils or the Timbuktu Trolleys is no excuse. If they were middle-schoolers, I would say okay, let kids be kids, but most of these kids are HS kids or older, and the cream of the crop of the HS kids. It does reflect on the leadership. If my HS or college director had seen us pull a prank like that it would have been stopped immediately, you would have had the fear of God put into you, and you might very be OUT immediately. If your son didn't particpate then he isn't wrong. But for the others they need to taught how to grow up. Don't make excuses mom. Right is Right.

DCI would then project a more professional image. As I said in an earlier post, if I were prospective sponsor of a DCI corps or of DCI itself or it's broadcast or whatever. Those shenangins at retreat would have turned me totally off. There is a time and place for everything. In my High School Band ( a National Champion one in it's day) or in my college band (an outstanding mid-sized college one) we were forbidden to be out in public unless it was full uniform and properly worn. Of course you could carry your hat, but no spats (sorry about that) unbuckled, no tie undone, no shirt untucked, no jacket over your shoulder, etc. ( and in college no smoking in uniform.......in HS that wasn't even discussed). We were told when you wear that uniform you represent the whole group.

Amen to that Brother!!!!!!!!

Now this is from the sight whose name dare not be spoken, but it is not a drum corps clip......so I hope I am all right. The clip says it all

I've been away 3-4 years and noticed those tall, tall plumes on the hats that a lot of the corps has. Are they about 18 inches long??

<<<<<<<<<<<<(They looked something like this .....only full-length pants) That reminded me of a very good HS Marching Band here in Michigan. When they converted from High Step, Big10 style of marching to corps-style, they bought these ugly polyester mustard yellow-ketchup red uniforms with matching berets. Although they marched and played very well, but the look was not pleasing. Everyone thought they worked at Burger King. Not exactly the image I would want to project. When MBA was started I think they were in the top 10 for the first 5-6 years or so. They changed in the mid to late 70's to a much classier look. I will always have fond memories of you Bridgeport Bearcat Marching Band

Yeah, I did. But people got off-topic on my spelling of trend. It was funny.......but I thought by putting guard uniforms in the title it would help and people would respond to the topic, which they did. I hope this isn't a sin to do that. If so, I will say 5 Hail Mary's when I play for Holy Day "Assumption of Mary" mass tomorrow night, if not I will confess it at one of the 2 masses I play for on Saturday night, If Catholicism can't help me, then I will confess Sunday morning at the Episcopal Church I also play for. I have a busy weekend ahead of me!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

........even then some of them couldn't make a straight line.(I am sorry for being snide, but it's true.)

Was it me or did I notice a trend this year for the color guard outfits tend to be little bit more "uniform" ( I know I am swearing to some of you born after 1987) in appearance. It was nice to see. No I don't want a return to riding boots and shakos, but the lovely uniforms like SCV in 1988 or 1985, Phantom in 1985 ( the Tchaikowsky in Winter Show) or 1991, or if it fits a theme like SCV 1991, or Phantom or Cavies this year. Boston's was very nice this year also. Just my 2 pennies worth.

87 (top 2 shows especially) 80 (top 6-7 shows are great)