drumguy50

OK the show already has more direction than last season. Staff? Designers?

Any word on who is on staff with Kilties? I would think now is when people are deciding what they will do this Summer. Anything? Anyone?

Any news on staff or show for 2015?

I agree a lot of change is necessary. I believe a change in the judge leadership is a start.

Or FORMER fans....

Based on more band instruments the fact that BOA had electronics earlier, WGI was the first to accept unplanned transitions and salute it as state of the art to me it is the way stated.

How can the drum corps we love be brought back to the people? The answer is multi fold but has some obvious things that will make it more credible. First and foremost get the excessive influence of WGI out of the activity. (BOA could benefit from the same thing) What has WGI brought us? A lack of understandable and accessible drill in favor of the whims of a designer’s imagination which often looks like I wrote myself in to a corner so I’ll just run to get out. WGI has also brought us far-fetched “concepts” that only mean something to the person coming up with them based on their troubled childhood! It has also brought us drum lines that dance (whether it fits or not), giant lampshade props, mirrors and coatracks. Uniforms that are ghastly, music that most of the PAYING audience does not want to hear. Frequent change at the caption and the overall leadership levels would help to eliminate the status quo and indicate a more transparent situation. The entire visual side is lead by WGI guard judges either current or past. Music is lead by elitists that are out of touch with the majority of the audience tastes. Most big shows are judged by people you also see on the WGI shows. In addition the same names over and over. The Artistic Director sells uniforms to half of the DCI corps. Creates a bit of a conflict of interest if he has influence on judges. Music has moved away from the traditional instruments. Percussion has added electronics and amplification, we have as much singing and talking as we do music in some shows. Perhaps it is time for a traditional and a new age class. Perhaps a wholesale change at the judge leadership level. Maybe the winter and the summer should be different! The leadership of the elite corps need to look at what is good for the entire activity, not how they can make more money and satisfy their egos.

After hearing the concerts in the park Phantom should be looking over their shoulder for Boston. Phantom is a boring formula show (Don Hill) with what sounds like a weaker than normal horn line. The percussion were not well prepared and the percussion parts have little connection to the music.

Just saw they have Ron Hardin as Coordinator and designer. Certainly an adequate person however his design efforts have not always been well received (Magic of Orlando) but the bigger issue is they will obviously be his at best 2nd priority to Crown. Not sure that is a great choice. Groups in that level need a person dedicated to them as a primary program.

Has any sort of announcement been made on any plans or developments?

On Facebook

Have seen several announcements of design staff and caption heads leaving the organisation. Hoping it is not a bad sign

It appears by posts on Facebook and their site that not much head way has been made on debt retirement. It is not a good idea to create another Teal Sound and get part way in to tour and not be able to funtion. If they go beyond this year they will have to move to Open if they do the DCI drum corps thing which pays virtually nothing so that sounds like an unrealistic idea. I am afraid we have seen the last of the Glassmen as a DCI corps

Hmmm that worked so well at Cavaliers.....not

My opinion. Other than Some Nights the arrangements were thin and uninteresting. They played much better than the book. Drums need more mature teaching. Drill design was not even good marching band drill. Too bad the coordinator didn't catch that. I would think a wholesale design change would be a good step there. I know people preach about consistency but consistently below par is notice for change.

We can only hope. Great arrangements, great drum line, great guard, bad marching band drill.

Yes every time they would buy new supplies like mirror, PVC pipe etc to do renovation the new products ended up on the field....

FWIW I have zero knowledge of Bluecoats design meetings and rehearsals, though I do have some casual acquaintances associated with Bluecoats. I don't know if what you're speculating about is true or not, and I'm legitimately curious to hear if you're a staff speaking inside dope or just a conspiracy theorist. Purely opinion as an observer

Ok, check Bluecoats visual numbers for as many years as you like, over multiple staffs and designers and it seems to have the same result. If I am wrong with my suggestion, why does it consistently happen that they are lower in visual?

Watch the visual program. Any time the horns play anything of substance they are standing still (or sitting on bleachers) Although others in their competative neighborhood do that at times it not always.

It would be great to see a plan of action be put out by the board instead of vague we continue to work off debt statements. Unless there is a stated end goal of putting a corps back on the field it is not likely to happen.,

Unfortunately the visual problems with Bluecoats appears to be more the music people not letting the visual people do thier job in terms of risk and development. Vandercoff is nothing special based on his Scouts drills and Coats this year but the holy trinity could be the visual staff and unless they are allowed more freedom it will not matter. They need a visual coordinator that knows the activity and will fight to let the visual do their job.

Your logic seems sound here (probably problematic on DC Planet). I do hope they put something back out this year. I am afraid if it does not happen this year it will never happen again.