Smoothy

Bus leaves tomorrow at 6pm. Be on it or be totally untremendous. ..or drive yourself to LaX and be tremendous that way. Just be tremendous! http://tremendousblast.com

TB rocks!!! http://tremendousblast.com

Blasting tremendously is a reason for living!!!! LaX better be ready!!! 11 days till the gig!! TremendousBlast.com

I voted "yes" because I want more of the members of my corps (Govenaires) to get the experience. ...but 21 is fine, too. (We're a mini-corps already) Mini-corps = fun Easy to experiment with, too.

We've done 79 seasons with a small corps. It's not a choice, it's a population thing. There aren't many people in southern Minnesota and even less who know what drum corps is. We have to battle such stellar summer activities as tractor pulls, street dances, and canoe trips. Keeping the people we have has been good for us in the last five years or so, but we still lose marchers to jobs and babies every year. Recruiting is difficult because of the general public's ignorance to what constitutes a drum corps member: many believe they are not good enough to do what we do even though we've never cut a member that showed up (we have dropped members who disappear). What we have done is embraced our small size. In March, we set our numbers according to who has been showing up for winter rehearsals (no holes). We only own a limited amount of instruments (I know for a fact that we own 24 horns), we travel locally in two school buses (painted green with our signature racing stripe), and we plan our budget according to the numbers we have. Our philosophy has been that the people who have lost their taste for small drum corps are fools: We are worthwhile, entertaining, and competitive every year.

It's tremendous being a blaster. We kill and rock LaX like no other. It's gonna be the party of the year. Who's brave enough to make the journey and don the black and yellow? Who's got the balzanos big enough to be tremendous? Are the Mich folk the longest journey folk this year? Come and be tremendous!!!!!!! FC/FBSA

We still don't know why we spell our name without that first "r". But we're goofy that way, so it ain't no biggie.

Fun for us is fun for you! I had a great time.

Don't like the retreat thing. As a marcher or a viewer, I want to see shows not pagentry. Just my kick ### opinion.

Too small. Need more premo seats and less cheap seats. There's much bigger stadiums in the great midwest.

What Jami said... I'm feeling alot better now...

It's hilarious that one pictures championships along side of the ensuing party on the bus trip home. We all got on the bus and fell asleep immediately. Maybe it's more of a testament to the work required to achieve the accolades. We had a great time. We felt as if we made more friends and took our show to where we wanted to take it. Next year, I pack warmer clothes. Thanks for all the support.

"Nature Boy"! Sweet choice. I think I'll need the three-valve for my solo. I'm leaving my valve/rotor at home.

I'm doing A Night in Tunisia on a G soprano.

Grand Haven, MI rocks! Use to go to that show in junior corps.

Mathematics rules once again! Somebody get Jeff a calculator.

I would gladly stare into the sun if it means performing at another DCA-C show.

Well said, Chris. It's a pleasure havin the Frontier around. We've been hanging with you guys since your first show in DeKalb last year. It's like watching our little brother corps grow up. Keep up the great job and keep that healthy philosophy flowing.

The comaraderie between competitors has always been a staple in drum corps. The fact that every drum corps you meet shares the same set of circumstances (rehearsal, performing, etc.) creates a bond between people who elsewhere would be strangers. It's probably the best thing that drum corps creates. Since I've been marching (started 1970), the connections I've made with other marchers that I strictly see through the activity are priceless. I met so many people Saturday night and although most of them could not discuss higher-level mathematics with me (my profession), there is still a bond as result of this glorious activity. I have, and always will, cherish times such as these and hopefully will the rest of my life. Thank you all for a great experience. Let's do it again in Rochester.

I think we're busy building the circuit with the C at the end of it now. But you never know. Weirder things have happened. We have a craving for long bus trips. BTW Nice show yesterday.

Quoted myself....

The written word shows no emotion. I was being sarcastic about your sarchasm. Ow, my brain...

You have no idea how "nippy" it gets here in the winter. You can make ice cream in your car. Go to rehearsal with a quart of cream in your car and afterwards a frosty treat. Hint: bring the chocolate sauce into rehearsal or it'll freeze as well. Loved having everyone in the insanity we call Patrick's. Please come back again!

I'm still a fan!

Yes, it was a phenomenal success!! DCA is in the midwest!! Kudos to all from MBI and Govies who made this a reality. Kudos to all the other corps who made the trip to our humble, yet beautiful state. Let's get more DCA-C shows up for next year: -Texas? Sounds good, bring it on (Though, we'll need cooler temps than this summer. Work on that.). -Wisconsin? Drum corps state with tons of history needs a DCA show (We only did one WI show this year and it was a DCI D3 show). -Tennessee? Never been there, I hear it's an awesome place (Prove it to me, have a DCA show there). -Michigan? Love Michigan (Haven't been to a show in MI since Yshpeming in the UP ten years ago). -Anywhere else that wants a DCA-C show (Bring a bunch of DCA corps to your town!!!!)