trionbd

Hello to all that have given such positive support to the Birmingham HS Band. I am the mystery director in GA that is donating the uniforms. DCP has truly been the networking avenue for making this become a reality for a band in need. I had no idea that there were so many people involved in trying to help this group. As for the uniforms, here's the specifics... The uniforms were bought for Trion High School (Trion, GA) sometime around 1995 (I haven't been able to nail down the exact year) and were worn until the 2005 season, when were able to sport new unis. I checked around in '05 to find a group who was in need, but couldn't find a taker. I was hoping that maybe we could help a school that might be in need after Hurricane Katrina, but again couldn't find a group that needed them. They sat on a shelf in our storage building in boxes unitl last week. Once I found out from my good friend (madscotty) about Birmingham HS, I received an email from one of the nicest people I have ever met (Glenise Trapp) to get the ball rolling on transporting them. Long story short...the uniforms are now in boxes and on our band trailer ready to be driven to Chattanooga for shippment first thing tomorrow morning. I'm told that they will be in Califormia by Friday. I spoke to Glenise earlier tonight and was informed that if they get there by Friday, she and other volunteers will pull an all nighter to get the band in uniform by the next day for their contest. I can't stress to you how incredibly excited they are about all of this. To say that this means a lot to them is a gross understatement. At first I thought "oh good, we can finally get rid of these boxes that have taken up needed space for the past few years." I'm now just grateful that we could help these students. Again, this would have never come to pass if it weren't for the DCP community. Thanks to all who helped! I'd be glad to post a picture of the uniforms if someone can please tell me how to. I don't see a link to upload photos on DCP.

I'm hoping that this year was a bit of a call to the traditionally stronger corps to get away from the overtly artsy show design and just put out a show that the masses can get behind. I know each corps has it's own identity, but it's painful to watch some of these upper tier corps in the past few years. Nobody can deny that these groups are phenomenal from a performance stand point, but shows like Phantom, Crown, and the like are what the masses want. Since this is an entertainment industry, I'm hoping that the judges decision this year will get other corps going in the direction of playing to their fan base again. It really would be the best thing for the health of the activity.

How 'bout Madison in '84? That was pretty rediculous!

I think you picked a #### fine show to start with!

I'm thinking the Bandettes for Mr. Cruise.

I started following DCI in '84, but didn't get to attend a show until '88. I got a great introduction to live drum corps at DCI South in 1988...Santa Clara and Madison were both there!!!!! I was completely hooked!!!!!!!!

Wow...congratulations! That was actually the most venemous thing I have ever read on DCP.

I must have missed the pay scale for posts on DCP.

I think he was saying that it is hard to describe who Spirit is these days. In the past they have always gone back to Georgia(ish) and Ol' Man River style programming when they venture away from it and aren't successful.

Over zealous alumnus here...I don't entirely disagree with this post. I do think however that the next couple of years will be very telling for the corps future. It really seemed rather hopeless after '07, but they worked hard and turned the ship around a bit this year (not all the way, but an improvement even still). I'm reserving judgement on their identity crisis. I think it's too early to tell on this one.

I couldn't agree more on this point, but I still miss the G sound of the upper tier corps.

I would be able to pick out the Cadets because of the nausiating turn in my stomach that I get each time I listen to their most recent shows.

You have fantastic taste in drum corps. These are among my all time favorites.

Madison Scouts 1995 would be the one to take anyone that doesn't know anything about the activity. I think that such a person couldn't help but get caught up in the pandamonium that was the '95 Scouts. But I think I'm supposed to choose a show that represents what drum corps as a whole is. If this is the task at hand, I'm thinking that the 1995 Madison Scouts is a horrible recommendation to represent the activity. Not that it wouldn't hold up in front of a crowd, but it's nothing at all like the drum corps of today. So if I'm trying to sell them on todays activity, I'd have to go with Crown '08. Something for must everyone in this show!

I think that hornlines have become better technically over the last several years, but I really enjoyed the sound of the G horns back in the day. It had a flare the the Bb's don't get. It's not that they aren't good, I just have to disagree that they are better than the years before the Bb hornlines. I think it took much more time to find the center of pitch and the tendencies of the G bugle. These are issues that the members of today don't have to deal with. The hornlines of old made do with what they had and were in some cases magnificent in spite of playing on much inferior equipment. Just my 2 cents.

Of course it wouldn't sell very well, but the idea is a pretty neat one. Any thoughts about content of the hypothetical game?

I marched in 1991 for the first time (corps to remain anonymous) and swore that I would never march again. Reason? They didn't feed us. We rolled into Dallas rehearsing as much as any corps out there. It was freakishly hot, and they sustained us on basically little for breakfast, little for lunch and little for dinner. Late night snack? Didn't exist for the last part of tour. I did march again in '93, but with Madison this go around. The attitude about taking care of the corps was completely different. We were fed and fed well. The staff was genuinely interested in taking care of the corps...Not babying us, but seeing that we were eating well enough to reahearse and perform well, and not go to bed hungry. When you've had a 14 rehearsal day in blazing heat and are hungry all the while, you grow a new appreciation for the word resentment!

I think it would be awsome if it were a mystery forever.

I was there for this as well. The one thing that Scottt left out was that after they conceded, they gave us all candy. Not a grand gesture to the average person, but to us it was a tremendous sign of respect. I consider that an oddly defining moment of my drum corps career.

I'm going with my favorite show of the corps and not neccesarily which show wat the best. There are many shows that I consider to be better scoring wise, but IMO not as enjoyable as other years. 27th Lancers: 1980, kinda before my time, but I saw this in the theater , and their contras were studs. Anaheim Kingsmen: before my time Blue Devils: 1988 (1984 a close second) Blue Knights: 2007 Blue Stars: Haven't seen them enough to make an educated statement on them Bluecoats: 1988 Boston Crusaders: 2000!!! Bridgemen: 1980, sort of the same situation as 27 Cadets: 1984...probably my favorite show of all time from any corps. 1987 a close second. Carolina Crown: I actually liked 2007 a little more than 2008. I know I'm in the minority on this one. Cavaliers: 1993...I might be the only person on this thread that would pick this year. Killer music. Crossmen: 1997...that corps completely played in the pocket. Glassmen: 1995 Madison Scouts: This is the hardest one, because I have such an affection for so many shows...in order...'95, '92, '88, '84. Phantom Regiment: 2003...hard to skip over 1996 for me, but '03 was fantastic programming. Santa Clara Vanguard: 1999 without a doubt Spirit: 1985...Concerto in F! Bravo!!! Star of Indiana: 1990...very ignored year for this corps Suncoast Sound: 1985...seriously, if you've never heard their sops, find it and check it out. Troopers: too much time out of the top 12. Can't say I know enough about them. I can't substantiate this, but it always seems like they play the same thing each year.

My vote is white pants.

1995 Madison (hate to beat the dead horse even more, but c'mon, that was the $%). Don't know how these other shows would stack up competetively, but the best of the rest... 2003 Phantom 1984 Phantom 1980 Spirit (blew the stands back a mile) 1990 Blue Devils (not the classic Devs show, but I've always enjoyed this one)

This might be the most sensible post I've ever read on DCP!

Ok, I've sifted through bunches of pages on this thread at this point. The narration thing...It's always going to be polarizing. DCI isn't going to outlaw it. Many fans are going to not like it (more than the yay sayers realize), many fans are going like it. Very few will be in the middle ground of indifference. I just don't get why the people who do like it, fight so hard to get the others to come to their side of the fence. Those who don't like it aren't ever going to like it. It's that extreme. I feel as though I am in the majority with the casual fan (even though i'm not a casual fan) in that it does nothing for me. It's a matter of taste. The one thing I would like to throw out there (and not in an attempt to get others to be on my side of the issue, 'cause I know that ain't gonna happen) is that narration, and the show design that comes with it, has and continues to drive fans away from buying tickets. Would the same happen to those in favor of narration if it suddenly went away?

1984 - I used to think I was partial to this year because it was the first year I was exposed to the activity. Upon further review over the years I think it really was the best musical top 6 to ever be fielded. And loud...omg, is it ever loud. Many old school folks might roll their eyes at this response because it was a really over played year by most anyone who owned the recordings back in the day, and there are pleny of other years you should also buy, but I'm tellin' ya, for sure buy this one!!!!