drumcorpsfan4567

Looks like the blue stars just posted new percussion video on their facebook page. I can't watch it now on my phone though.

Clearly it will not be based solely on most recent placement as Phantom finished 9th last year behind Boston and Blue Stars, both of whom are not in this group of corps.

Thank you for point that out, I missed it. This seems to be a subjective means of separating groups, and I'm sure we're going to see a fight over it. Of course the G-7 directors will speak as if they are trying to act for the good of the whole activity (and they may sincerely believe that they are, and I guess they would be if there was no other solution to the problems DCI is apparently having with the way things are now) but I doubt everyone will feel the same way. I definitely don't as of right now. I'll have to wait and see I guess.

You don't think that 3 years is too long of a period? By then, the separation between classes will surely have a negative impact on corps not in the G-7 and make it extremely hard to advance to the G-7.

One of the reasons Hopkins proposed electronics was because he thinks "kids grow up plugged in" and that adding electronics will increase the audience this way. Now, was there actually any research done on young marchers' opinions to provide basis for his proposal? Doubt it.

So...still waiting for some fair criteria on how to become a member of the G-7.

The G7 are obviously intent on marketing themselves as "elite." This inevitably means more talent for them and less talent for others. How could this create more competition and help the other corps?

You have come up with judging theories in the past. How does this effect judging? How, in your opinion, should one be able to become a "G-7" corps?

That is exactly why I am very skeptical about this. And as someone pointed out, this does not improve competition. Corps not part of this group will have to increase member dues, and less people will audition for sure because many will not want to be part of something that's "lower" class. I feel like this will lead to the eventual death of these corps, just like it is already happening in open class. The G7 directors seem to be promoting the "super-corps" national touring model. Another question I have: does anyone believe the current national touring model for everyone is sustainable? I can see the G7 directors possibly promoting this as their "solution" to what they see as an unsustainable model. Can the other directors come up with a sustainable model otherwise?

Yeah I know you're right, just pointing it out.

If that is going to be the reasoning given to be allowed into the group, that is a very subjective reasoning for classification and will surely incite problems. There NEEDS to be an objective system for this to be fair.

Haven't we heard about these directors trying to align with marching band? It seems to me with the instrumentation changes they are really trying to play to the marching band crowd, and it seems like they are going to work closely with band circuits or at least try to. I think they know they won't have the old drum corps audience anymore, and are trying to replace it with more marching band kids.

So who is allowed into this group? I'm waiting to hear about this. Why is PR involved and not Crusaders or Blue Stars? What about the politics of judging? This seems to create a class system. These 7 corps will not want to be beaten by other corps because it will raise questions (or to knock them down and raise another corps up). Is the judging going to be fair this summer? This just does not set up well at all. I feel like there is going to be a big war.

I really hope this isn't true.

The corps that get 150 people (I'm assuming they are more likely to use woodwinds) will have no problem filling 150 spots regardless of whether you help someone pay or not. If someone can't pay, those corps will just find someone else. The money will still go to the corps in that case. And it isn't rude to sponsor someone and then not go watch them. I hope a member getting sponsored would be appreciative in that instance and not rude.

You can still support members by sponsoring individual members without supporting the corps financially by buying merchandise and going to shows. Jeff Ream is correct, you shouldn't keep spending money on something you don't like anymore. That doesn't mean you're hurting the kids.

I know, I was poking fun at the people on this board who do that kind of stuff

Blue Stars are the new Crown as well as the new Cadets (Aungst and Larrivee) Crown was the new Star Star was the new Cadets... Blue Stars are the new old Cadets and new not quite as old Cadets?

Okay I agree with you now that that is cleared up.

220 beats per second? Gosh, they're really flying, aren't they? I kid, I kid. Looking forward to seeing the Blue Stars, Cadets, and everyone else in 2010!

What's wrong with playing lots of whole notes when you have that drum book behind it? Didn't the Cadets have a really long drum feature in 2006 where the hornline didn't play? You don't need your horn book to be crazy all the time for it to be effective. I agree with everyone else in that the season will be the real determining factor, not audio clips in March, and anyone who thinks the Cadets sounding like that is a function of their actual sound and not the clip is fooling themselves. Let's not get ahead of ourselves just because we want drum corps to be here already.

I like clip 4 the most, that ending is pretty cool.

Really, the only musical battery writer?

I think this is pretty cool.

I know it was a different situation, but...ever hear of Academy? Or what about Star of Indiana?