dcm_alum

Nah, this isn't cool. Incomplete shows in July is NOT ACCEPTABLE. The real drum & bugle corps season starts well ahead of July. It is their duty to be fielding the whole show by then. Man up, or get out.

GO RED TEAM!!!

The Colts will fill the corps like they do every other year, and I suspect that under this guy's creative direction, their program may go further than it has in the past. All the while with nothing out of the ordinary happening between this guy and anyone else on staff.

Hmmm. This will be interesting. Mason has only had success when he actually had a sizable budget to spend from. It'll be hard to build something sustainable on the budgets that the Madison org can currently support.

Know what? As closely as the Colts and the Troopers are matched, it's kinda stupid to be speculating as to who might come out on top. There are a lot of intangible things that can happen these next few days which will ultimately effect each corps performance. My prediction is that the corps that makes the best use of the time they have between now and Thursday will come out on top. Best use might mean practicing their butts off, or it might be resting. Whatever the case, these two are so closely matched that I think whoever TRULY BRINGS IT on Thursday will make finals. If either come off flat, they will be in 13th, or lower.

As a Colts alum, this thread makes me ill. Like every other corps, the kids are out there working hard, and enjoying themselves. Let the chips fall where they may. All the kids want is to know they have entertained the crowd, and "done well". Placement is secondary.

These might be too short to guide you if don't plan to go to a show. But if you do go to a show, this might help guide you as to when to run for a hot dog. Racine Scouts: Really small as usual. Ambitous show. It would be hard not to like anyone playing "Harlem Nocturne". Colt Cadets: Sophisticated show for a bunch of kids their age. I like "Theme from Pee Wee's Big Adventure", and the trampoline/bed prop. Pioneer: Obvious step up in execution here. No huge recollection of their show though. When they ballyhoo the stands, the crowd always gets into it. Spirit: Warmup/sound test for the show raises my interest, makes it sound exciting, but it peters out before they get off the ground. When they PLAY DRUM CORPS they are great, but they don't do much of it in this show. Disappointing. Blue Stars: Holy Cow they were good! Sort of an homage to the US for WW II. They have gone to the next level with this show. I no longer wonder if they will make finals, but wonder how high they will place. 9th or higher is doable with their show, Madison: Could be good, but their guards uniforms are so darned goofy that they keep me from taking them seriously. This is a pattern for Madison. Hoping for good karma for these guys. Lots of room for improvement. Cavaliers: Solid show, well executed. As expected. Interesting guard work, and drill movements (as they are known for). Not sure we have a title winner here, but they were good. (1st place) Phantom: Who knew Phantom could swing? A new leaf has turned over with this show. I felt like musically, Phantom was stepping out of their character here, but in a very tasteful way. I thought they won it. (2nd place) Colts: Strong nautical themed show. I think difficulty is up a bit with this show from last year. They were of course ON for the home show, but placement put them below Madison and Spirit.

GO DOMES!!! We love you guys!!

Wow, I would HATE to see this on the field.

Well, it probably won't be like when 27th, or the Bridgemen rose from the dead...

Meh...I think they were obviously a great corps, but they ushered in a lot of innovation that I think has taken drum corps out of the mainstream, and placed it solidly in the realm of the "wine and cheese" crowd. Personally, I find that brand of drum corps less fulfilling than what I enjoyed before they came on the scene. I won't disparage their professionalism, and excellence. It was unquestionably top notch. I just never liked their shows.

Thanks George. Hmmmm. Ok listening further, I am interested in the song after 42nd street, after "Give my Regards to Broadway", just as the drum break ends they play a very sultry tune. Lots of soloist action. Do you know what that song is? BTW 1977, and 1978 are still my favorite drum corps shows of all time. I play them for folks all the time. Bridgemen forever!!! --> Jake

Well mostly I am curious about the title of the opening song in this medley, but if someone knows more, the info will be welcome.

Much as I love SCV (they are my favorite corps outside of the one I marched), I have grown quite tired of the "Simple Gifts" schlockfest. This is becoming the most overplayed, and least exciting piece ever. There ought to be a law against covering a song that has been done in drum corps more than 10 times. At least when corps overdo covering West Side Story songs, there is some depth there. Dang.

As a fan of the Colts over the years ( a corps that has made a LEGACY out of circling around the 12th position in August), I think I can say one thing FOR SURE right now. If your favorite corps is sitting in 9th-12th this week, and you are thinking they have a finals position LOCKED UP in any way, OR you are feeling any level of confidence about how your favorite corps is doing with respect to actually landing a spot in finals, you are a fool. In fact, you'd better HOPE that the kids in your favorite corps are not so stupid as to be THAT SMUG. Remember that while you might be sitting in a great position this week, there are about 500 other kids, in other corps, from other cities, who are working RIGHT NOW, diligently, to knock you out of finals. Thats really one of the glorious things about this activity. Nothing is impossible, and nothing is guaranteed till that last week in August is in the history books. Keep watching. ENJOY the season, and let the cards fall where they may. The next 3 weeks will be a lot of fun no matter how it all turns out!!! One other thing: How ABSOLUTELY COOL is it to see the Blue Stars kicking butt?? I'm so proud of that organization. While it is clear they are going to give my Colts a lot of headaches in the coming years, it sure is nice to have them back. Best of luck to the Blue Stars. Lets see them complete the journey back to finals!!!!

I say Bridgemen 1977 ;)

This guy could rip your face off with a mellophone if he wanted to. ;)

Rivermen (MN) did Twilight Tones

I bet that JC is the guy because I vaguely recall that the guy went by initials. Thanks so much.

I recall an incredibly good, heavyset middlevoice player (I cannot remember if he was a french horn, or a mellophone) who marched with Silver Spectrum (Marshalltown, IA) when they played "Children of Sanchez" (1979 according to corpsreps.com), and then I believe he went on to march with the Cavaliers. I never knew this guy's name, but he was so dynamic on his horn that Silver Spectrum's entire show was written around him. JAW DROPPING talent. Not sure how big a role he played in the Cavies shows. If anyone had any recollection of this guy, or knew his name, I'd appreciate a post.

I wonder if DCI has considered trying to lobby the big oil companies to see if they'd at least be willing to issue some kind of price ceiling on the gas used by the activity? A price ceiling for the activity would at least help corps forecast expenses. This is the arts, and any "donation" like this is a tax deduction. With profits as high as they are, the big oil companies might be willing to listen.

It was a lot of banging. I've seen it on TV before. Worthwhile if you are a drum corps fan who like Cheap Trick (like me!).

How much would it screw things up had 2 judging teams and went every other corps between Div 1 and Div 2/3 for the first cut of prelims? After that. complete Dive 2/3 giving the Div 1's a day or two off to clean? That would certainly increase the profile of Div 2/3 and draw in fans. There are certainly a LOT of reasons that they could not do this, but I do like the way it would cause me to sit in the stands and watch a LOT of drum corps. I used to watch a LOT of small corps at DCM because they'd comingle the Senior corps with Div 2/3, making the entire morning show interesting.

I think there are valid reasons fro dropping out under which you can still say you marched (parent/sibling dies, you are somehow maimed and cannot recover, etc). In the end though, if you don't feel like you'd be welcomed at the season ending banquet as a marching member, then you didn't march.

I knew from going to the Rose Bowl football games that it was a terrible venue. The seating is just terrible, and not really very close to the action. For that reason, I never even considered flying out for DCI.