Jump to content

Grumpy

Members
  • Posts

    1,052
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Grumpy

  1. Guess I'm one of the few who didn't really care for Annapolis. Our seats were under the overhang, and we could not hear anything that came over the PA...and it wasn't really due to the noise from the concession area either, although at times that was distracting as well. As for the previous poster that said his rooms for Williamsport were cheaper than Rochester, I have been looking for the better part of the last month and I can't find anything that was even remotely CLOSE to being as affordable as what I was paying at Rochester. Almost everything I've seen in Williamsport is north of $150 per night, you have to get 30 miles or more away to get into the low $100's. Air access for those of us who are not in reasonable driving distance is also problematic for Williamsport. Seriously considering skipping 2019, already have tickets for next year or I would seriously have reconsidered that.
  2. IMHO, the greatest announcer of all. Although we didn't know each other personally, he knew me by face and we often exchanged a few pleasantries in passing at shows. YOU will surely be missed! RIP my friend.
  3. After witnessing a near fist fight in the stands between a couple of fans and the staff of a corps that is now departed at a local show some years back, I sent the corps director an e-mail asking him to rein in his staff's enthusiasm. I did receive a response from him, thanking me for bringing it to his attention, apologizing for their actions and that he would address the issue with his staff. Whether that actually happened I have no idea, but at least it made me feel better that he acknowledged my viewpoint. This whole issue is nothing new, it was pretty bad back when finals were at were at the baseball field in Scranton several years back. IIRC, Mickey & Co. had to get involved in that one told the staffs to cool it. The main thing to remember here is this: the fans PAID, please respect that.
  4. OK, I guess I'll take my lumps...I've been coming to DCA since '94, and it just seemed as though the Govies were "always" here, and that whole intro about being the oldest competing drum corps, etc. was what I was thinking but I am quite sure about the last part of that...they were Class A, went Open last year, back to Class A this year. As for the mandate about inactive corps coming back as Class A, the mind is getting muddled from too many brain cells killed off during the college years...perhaps it was DCI? that at one time had the requirement; I'm thinking back to Magic of Orlando? and I think it was put in to protect corps that took time off because they got in over their heads to ease back in with more prudent policies in place. Unfortunately, the latest weather forecast isn't looking too rosy for Sunday...but I'm hoping that the performers will knock our socks off!
  5. And now, several hours later, weatherchannel.com is back to predicting 40% morning showers on Sunday. Perhaps if we're lucky, they'll be REALLY early. I will be packing the rain gear; I live in FL so I'm used to the daily rain, and I sat through Ernesto in prelims those many years back so "showers" won't kill me.
  6. I would be curious to get a viewpoint on this from the Govies; who were around and competitive before there was Class A, have been in Class A for years, went to Open last year, opted to go back to Class A this year. Personally, I try to see all the corps at prelims. I have also known those who choose to wait until the first or even the second intermission to arrive because they only want to see the top 6 or 8 or whatever. But I also think Class A serves a purpose, as has been stated earlier if nothing else, against groups of like size it gives you some measure of bragging rights. IIRC, DCA also mandated that when corps come back from inactive status that they have to come back into Class A (like Sky did several years back). Also not necessarily a bad thing. As far as the argument does 66 really sound that much different than 65, well the same argument can be applied to almost any rule...does 129 members really sound much different than 128, in DCI does a member that's ONE DAY beyond the age limit really make a difference compared to his one day younger counterpart, really Officer, is 66 mph really that much different than 65 mph, etc. Any time you are placing a limitation on something, there has to be a "line" drawn, and it needs to be adhered to or the lines eventually become so blurred that they then become meaningless. A perfect example is a condominium complex I recently moved out of, where the rules enforcement became so lax that there is now no enforcement and the residents all do as they please because they know there will be no ramifications. The governing body loses the respect of those they govern.
  7. Latest I just saw from weatherchannel.com looks dry for the whole weekend; the predicted high temperatures for the weekend for Rochester are lower than the predicted low temperatures for our home area for the weekend! Fingers crossed that the forecast holds and prayers for Texas.
  8. I think this year in particular, seeding doesn't really mean a hill of beans. So many shows have gotten cancelled, resulting in some serious head scratching regarding seeding. I often wonder what scores would look like if: a) performance order was determined totally at random, by corps drawing numbers out of a hat or something along those lines; and/or b) what scores would look like if the judges had absolutely no idea whom they were judging. I've seen more than one instance over the years where corps sometimes seem to get a "free pass", particularly in the early season, based on who they are and where they finished the previous season as well as some corps who seemed to have been held back for the same reason. I'm just looking forward to a great weekend filled with fantastic performances by some incredibly dedicated and talented individuals!
  9. Didn't someone a few posts back say it was due to be released on the 20th? Over the last few years, some of the best minis have ceased to perform...Mass Brass, Golden Eagles and who will ever forget the Crunchy Frogs? Although Rochester has a terrific venue for the minis, for anyone that's not staying downtown, parking is a true adventure. Curious to see what Williamsport will offer up. That "life" thing got in the way for a lot of people, and a lot of minis have gone the way of both competing and alumni corps for that reason. When it stops being fun, it kind of defeats the reason you did it in the first place.
  10. There was a list of the Alumni corps lineup, complete with times, on Facebook a few days ago. I can't figure out why Les Dips are going on last, AFTER Cabs Alumni!
  11. Went to AMC Cineplex 20 at Universal Orlando. Since we recently moved to the area, this was my first viewing at this venue. I went to Disney Springs to view the preview earlier this summer. The picture was fine all the way through; the sound, not so much. The bass was horrendous, whatever goo was being generated by the amps on the field was magnified even more by the theater sound system...they finally turned it off as Madison started and after that it was much more tolerable. I also noticed some audio issues with the commentators, I thought that was probably an issue in Indy and nothing that the theater had any control over. That too eventually cleared. Theater was deserted...maybe 30 people, even that might be a generous estimate. I was surprised, since the preview at the Disney Springs theater was about 85% full. Perhaps the $20 parking fee to get into Universal had something to do with that; I had other reasons for seeing it there that have nothing to do with anything here.
  12. Think you might be a little hoarse by the end of that one, Fran?
  13. Jeff, for some of the more technologically challenged on the forum, how do we access this "periscope" you speak of? I was there in person, but I could easily watch the last 4 corps every day. Congrats to C2, personally I think Bucs should have won, but my opinion and $2.41 will get you a cup of coffee at Dunkin' Donuts. Kudos to every single corps that performed for us over the weekend!
  14. I have looked through DCA's website and through some of the threads on here, but haven't seen it...does anyone know what time the mini corps performances begin? We have a long trek to get into town and I hate to rush through check in, drop stuff in room and race off to mini corps without at least a few minutes to try and recharge.
  15. Sad to think that it was but a few short years ago that they were considering capping the entries because there was a danger of there being ​too many.
  16. You've got to remember folks, this is DCI...they're going to show it where there are lots of band kids, because that's they're target audience. They don't give a hoot about where corps alums are, this is a recruitment tool. In my area, I have been to most of the showings over the past several years; there was only one instance I recall where there was an obvious presence by a local band. The theater did have a very good crowd, which is a positive sign that they will continue to show it. Target audience or not, bottom line is they'll show it if they can make money by doing it.
  17. I think most of the DCI corps now do Wakefield or Bristol...sad because Pittsfield loves their drum corps. Biggest problem is Wahconah Park, baseball stadium TERRIBLE for drum corps, dirt parking lot that turns into a marsh if it rains, but pretty much the only venue in town. There used to be a big DCI show there every summer, one year they tried to move it and the weather was so bad the show actually got rained out, and IIRC it poured buckets-the corps didn't even do standstill exhibitions. I heard the parade organizing committee (show sponsors who used it as one of their major fund raisers) lost their shirts on it and that was the end of the annual DCI shows.
  18. My guess is that since they're not producing and selling DVD's/Blu-rays, the cost to transport, set up and staff the equipment most likely makes the live feed a money-losing endeavor.
  19. I shudder to think what "real grass" would have done the year Ernesto visited...maybe among the "new improvements" will be a video screen without a whole bunch of missing blocks? and getting rid of the bees in the lower deck would be MUCH appreciated (haven't ever been in the upper deck, so don't know if they're as problematic there!). Hopefully new owners will be drum corps friendly!
  20. I stumbled across something on DCI's website regarding the fact that they have audio CD's now available and it had some info. on THEIR dvd's/blu rays...they are "hopeful" that they will be able to ship in a late January time frame. As indicated above, it is due to licensing considerations. I am puzzled as to why rights are taking so much longer to secure this year as opposed to any other year, when rights were secured and the final product has historically shipped around Thanksgiving or shortly after. Perhaps DCI should only allow public domain music in the future so we can avoid the issue.
  21. When Bushwackers won their first titles in DCA, and for several years following, I remember their average age was somewhere like 19-20...and they certainly didn't have the market cornered on that age group by any means. Seeing that a large number of performers use DCA as a "stepping stone" to prepare them to march in DCI corps, it shouldn't be surprising at all. Look under the unis when you watch DCA corps next season. While I personally don't agree with a hard and fast "rule" within a corps limiting the maximum age, as C. Holland said it's their group, it's not against the present rules so they can run it as they desire.
  22. Looks like something Renegades would use...LOUD IS GOOD!
  23. Tom, I was on the Board of an Alumni corps that was invited by Mickey to participate in the AS, but were told that we would not be paid. That was a major deciding factor in our decision to decline the invite. I don't know and am not stating that DCA "refused" to return a portion of the gate to other participants, but our corps was told that it would be a non paid performance, I am only relating the situation with the corps I was involved with. I do recall that a couple years after that, someone in the corps brought up the topic that DCA was in fact returning a percentage of the gate to the participating corps, and a discussion followed as to whether we should contact DCA to ask about the possibility of being included but ultimately the corps decided not to pursue it. I am not "bashing" DCA, or trying to stir the pot, I am simply stating what happened with the corps I was involved with. I am no longer involved with that or any other corps at this point, just a fan and content being a retired drummer.
×
×
  • Create New...