OldManDrumCorps

Yeah I noticed that. Your ensemble appears to have no category associated with it. Anyway, do you want to perform with the rest of us? To me a bass ensemble is a bass ensemble. 4, 5, 6, or whatever! You should see if you can switch times. Either way, good luck and have fun!

I hate getting tangled up in stuff like this. However, while DCI was a FANTASTIC experience this is not the prevailing opinion at Empire. Everyone is different but MY finals is this weekend.

You guys aren't listed under the bass ensemble category! It looks like you're in the multi tenor category. You should contact Kevin Hassan and have that corrected! Yeah, more bass drums!

Don't forget the bass drum ensembles. Cabs, MBI, and Statesmen! Starts at 6:10.

Noise ordinance, I believe. It's on military grounds, right? Ironically, I think they still do it in DCI.

Seriously? That had been discussed several times. They might do it, but they would be limited to people within reasonable traveling distance so I would expect it to be relatively few people. And yes, they can do it. Corps do it every year.

Ha! All very true, Fran. I was keeping it more recent since that seemed to be what Mr. Skeptic was interested in.

You can do both, my friend. But that attitude is among many reasons why it's hard to put butts in the seats. If you are only playing to the judges, eventually they'll be the only ones there. Judges do not keep drum corps going. The crowd does. The smaller the crowd gets the less likely it is there will be a next year. And boy you betcha Empire draws a crowd. I'm not saying MBI isn't consistently good, heaven knows they are, but you base your opinion on what? The last few years? Your statement sounds pretty abosulte considering they hadn't broken the top 3 until what? A few years back? Let's also consider that until MBI won prelims last year, Statesmen were as close as anyone was to Reading during their streak coming within .8 at Reading's own homeshow in 2010 while putting the crowd on it's feet (READING'S CROWD), the week before DCA. Even the mighty MBI couldn't accomplish that until the next season when they ultimately won, and rightfully so. So to say that Reading and MBI distance themselves from the entire rest of the pack on a consistent basis isn't quite accurate. Not to say that it hasn't happened. It is far too early in this season to say that it will. Just saying.

Curious why you'd outright admit Empire should be lumped with Cabs and Hurcs, but not MBI. Empire was closer to MBI than to Hurcs and MUCH closer to MBI than MBI is to Reading. Just wondering. You got that first part right. Honestly, who else pays money to see you?

That logic sounds a little flawed. If the competition is always held in the NE, wouldn't it be safe to assume that the majority of tickets would come from the NE? Or at the very least safe to assume that the majority are not coming from Ohio, as in your example?

Ohio. Be it Akron/Canton, Cleveland, Cloumbus or even Toledo. That would make my day.

If you really want to see some DCA then go to the Rochester show. They wanted to make that show more than just the Statesmen and the White Sabres so they're opening it up to more than just a couple of drum corps. There will be no judging panel and the tickets will be cheap. The Upstate New York crowds have been thin the last few years so they are hoping for a bigger crowd with all the extra performers. At least then you can see something this year.

I think the show in Hornel, NY is still a possibility too. I don't know when that is, though.

No Syracuse show either. Word on the street is there will be an event in Rochester, but no competition. Probably on the 25th of August.

Are the only percussion spots open in the cymbal line? It sounds like you had some good recruiting this winter! I know someone in FL who is a fanatastic percussionist but has never marched. I know he is interested and I'm trying to convince him to check you guys out.

Percussion is 10%, I believe. I've never heard a judge comment on my visuals, not even the ones I was particularly proud of. We did get a thumbs up one time directed at our "thumbs up" visual. That was cool.

Nah, you did that on your own. We're on the same side of the argument, Jeff. That statement was hyperbole. I was just being sarcstic to prove a point. Yes, I have been in a corps with no hope of winning more than once. It never stopped me. Maybe this post wasn't aimed at me, but you quoted me. I am not hyping C2, infact I'm trying to calm down the hype. I don't find anything wrong with what they have done or are doing.

Please enlighten me. I see a number on their website that says about 100. I hope you are not impressed by 100. I have been to open houses with 100 people in attendance as recently a last month. Good for them, that is a great start. They'll be in better shape JUST because they are younger? I see your point, but I have to say your logic is a little flawed. Yes they are younger and their bodies aren't broken down yet, but they are also on a weekend only rehearsal schedule like the rest of us. Therefore they will only be strong if their membership maintains a solid monday-friday exercise schedule. Just like EVERYONE else. We are NOT talking about a true junior corps that is just jumping in to DCA. I am not a 38 year old NFL athlete, nor do I understand why I would need to be, but I run a couple of miles everyday and hit the weights as well just to keep my body up to snuf. The "old fart, beer gut, glory years" remark is intended as an insult and I don't know if I should say anything about it, but I'll add just this: quite a few people in every DCA corps are still in their "glory years" and have not even reached 22 years old yet. And again, we are NOT talking about DCI kids. We are now talking about DCA kids, just like the rest of us. I'm not sure what your "duh" comment is about. It is indeed built as an all age corps. That's kind of the point. Yes once C1 makes cuts those that happen to live within a few hours of Allentown will be welcome to try their hand at C2, if they are interested. I'm not seeing this as being a very large crowd, but nevertheless it will exist and good for C2. In the end, who will be the potential membership of Cadets2? Kids that are not ready for junior corps, kids that can't afford junior corps, and kids that can't sacrifice the time for a junior corps tour. Sound like anyone else? Maybe EVERYONE else? The only thing missing is the kids that have already aged out and love drum corps so much that they want to continue spending their summers doing it. My response to you in short: we both clearly think the other is crazy. I definitely don't think I am the one who is dreaming, but in reality the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. We shall see, and I look forward to it. I can say this for certain... George has got to be eating this up.

So basically if you're not going to win, why try? You misunderstood me. The hype is that they are going to blow away the competition "by no less than 4 points" in someone else's words. I am saying they are handicapping themselves too much for that to happen. NOT that they should just give up. They will likely develop a very high quality corps and begin to generate a whole new breed of high quality potential applicants for The Cadets in the future. But needless to say they will be starting with a younger, less experienced stock of talent. If they get good enough, can afford it, and so forth then they will probably end up in C1 and not C2. Clearly, I never suggested they might as well fold before they start as I gave a laundry list of advantages for everyone. Cadets2 is a good thing. I am not a fan of YEA!, The Cadets, or George but this is a GOOD thing, IMHO. As a fellow competitor I am excited to see this new corps on the field next summer.

This. This is what bugs me the most. All this attention for a corps that has had ONE rehearsal. drumcorpsdrummerman2012, I will SLAP BET you that C2 won't win. I would do likewise to say they won't be top 5. No one is going to just roll into DCA and suddenly dominate. That is obsurd. They will be quality, no doubt. But win? Please. Their age cap is a HANDICAP, not and advantage. They are choosing to exclude themselves from more experienced, very talented people simply because of their age. How are they going to be superior by limiting themselves to 16-22 year olds and recent Cadet age out that HAPPEN to live on the east coast AND choose to join C2? I march with 2 former Cadets that have been asked to march C2 and have actually turned down the offer. I've said it before, I would put my bassline from last year up against ANY other in DCA and quite a few in DCI just for grins given the oppritunity, and of the 5 of us only 2 would be elligible for Cadets 2 this season because of age. 2! Disadvantage: Cadets! Not to metnion I've heard through the grapevine their dues are in the $1500 range. Huge disadvatage to C2! I, for one, applaud Cadets 2 in DCA. I think it is great for the Cadets, YEA!, DCA, DCI, and the plethora of C2 and C1(w/ C2 experience) age-outs that will be looking for another corps once they're out and decide to go to Hawthorne, or Bush, or Reading, or Empire, etc...

AMEN!

Calm down guy, I don't think any of that stuff will happen. Top corps are not going to suddenly adopt upper age limits, DCA will not be a junior corps circuit. Next season I will be 30, and the only thing that will keep me off that field is excessive travel time (I ain't made of money), NOT some 18 year old kid that doesn't have 1/5 the experience that I do. I also keep myself in shape. I work out several times a week, running at least 2 miles in a work out. 2 miles isn't a lot, and if you can do 2 miles in under 20 minutes you can handle a drum corps show in my opinion. My body isn't as tired as some of the fellas in their 40s, 50s, or even 60s, but I have marched right along side with plenty of those cats too. I don't think they are in danger of losing their spots either. With almost every corps dealing with recruiting issues at some point in the season there is NO WAY they will just turn people away due to their age. That is not what the all-age circuit is about. If anyone is doing that I feel sorry for them. They are missing the point.

Yes. Also yes. Why is everybody so up in arms about a corps that DOESN'T EVEN EXIST YET? Seriously. I can't believe all this hype over a corps that has no members, show design, or even a style of its own, etc... Yes they will have a younger average age than most other senior corps, SO WHAT? Let me run down the perspective members for Cadets2. Kids that aren't ready for a junior corps yet, kids that can't afford to march in a junior corps, kids that can't sacrifice junior corps time but still want to march somewhere, or kids that just like what DCA has to offer and feel that is more "their speed".... sound like anyone else you know??? Maybe EVERY OTHER corps in DCA? The only thing missing is the kids that are too old to march in DCA, and by elimintating that from their talent pool I promise you they are missing out. Example: this year's bassline at Empire had a combined 19 years of drum corps experience with an average age of 22. I would have put them up against any other line in DCA and openly requested to do so right here on DCP. Of those 5 guys only 2 would be eligible to march in Cadets2 next season. Two are too old and one is too young. Cadets2 will be putting istelf at a disadvantage with its age restrictions, in my opinion. I heave heard people predict them winning next year or even coming in top 4. Based on what? Hype. Incredible. This corps doesn't even have a reputation to precede it, but from reading on these boards you never know that. We will see what next year brings. While I am NOT a Cadets fan nor a fan of Hopkins I see this as a GOOD thing. First, we have one more corps, and one that is likely to put a quality product out. It will at least be interesting to see these guys take a stab at it. Some of C2's mebership will eventually move on to the Cadets, some will not. They will all see this other circuit of drum corps and many may not have even realized DCA existsed. They may get a few years in with C2 and ultimatley "age out". They may then want to continue marching and they'll realize that Cabs, Bush, Reading, et al are right around the corner (or possible closer). A win for the "other guys"! Some of them may march their first season with C2 and see the Caballeros for the first time. Then after that season they may want nothing more in the world than to march in a show with Hawthorne. The possiblities are endless and in the end C2 is bringing a new wave of drum corps people to DCA. Maybe I'm out of my mind, but I am excited for this new corps.

Blame me. Gil Silva was standing next to me and he had this "I don't know" look in his eye. He didn't want the drums to start playing. I said "c'mon, you gotta do it." He said "you think so?" I said "hell yes!" He said "ok, go drums!" I don't know if he actually listened to me, but I liked to think he did. So you can blame it on me. Knowing what I do now, I'd do it again! Maybe I can't speak for all the performers, but I wasn't going to miss ANOTHER retreat this year due to rain. ESPECIALLY not finals! And it was a night I'll never forget!

That's the problem, the judges are analyzing it from an adjudicator's standpoint. In theory it should be a simple question. Did the crowd buy what they were selling? Looking back, it may be a harder caption to judge than originally thought because the communication numbers baffled me in large part all season.