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These are good but did find that they're staying at Sequin High School - Thanks to all for playing and agree with both responses as well! Best!

Always! ...but

Anybody know where SCV is staying in San Antonio?

What an outstanding young man! Thank you for taking the time to do this interview and give us a front line viewpoint of a champion. Also thanks to Mark for coming up with idea and allowing us to get to know this young marching member.

DCI – Can We look beyond the norm?: At this time of year we all focus our attention on DCI finals week which is hosted in Indianapolis IN. While it's great for those who reside east of the Mississippi, it's not all that convenient to those who would love to see a live performance Finals Week of their favorite corps who live in the West. As it stands today those who live west of the Mississippi only get to see the early season shows and for the greater Texas area just up to the mid-way point of the season. Many of the shows get changed or revised as the corps move toward the East Coast push (post San Antonio Show) and focus on Finals week so many of the Corps shows are far different from what the West Fan base got to see live early in the season. Yes - things have improved with the FanNetwork and it has provided additional coverage for us West Fans but the overall impact of seeing a live drum corps show is just not there. The FanNetwork has improved and gives you a pretty good taste of how things are evolving but bottom line – THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A LIVE SHOW!!! My suggestion for DCI: Every 4 or 5 years host a DCI Finals in the West or West Coast. That gives ample time to prepare and plan ahead for a West DCI Finals. Possible locations could be the Alamodome San Antonio TX, Mile High Stadium Denver, Arlington TX, Stanford CA, Pasadena, CA, Levi Stadium, Santa Clara, CA, etc.... and the list goes on. The corps that normally host shows early in the season would be reversed and their show would be held later for that one year (again - either every 4th or 5th year such as Stanford/Denver/San Antonio). Right now the mid-west/East Corps have a dominance of their fans who come out to DCI INDY each year. Not so much for the Corps from the West (Blue Devils/SCV/Blue Knights/Mandarin/Academy/Pacific Crest/Crossmen/O Crusaders/Cascades/Troopers/etc…). By hosting DCI Finals West every 4 or 5th year it would allow the West Coast Corps an opportunity to have their fan base come to see their shows at the end of the season (versus early in the season when the shows are dirty and some cases not complete - i.e.; Stanford). This seems like an easy compromise for DCI and it brings in a new fan base of West Coast or West Fans into DCI. In addition it would allow additional International fans to attend the DCI FINALS event (there's that "I" in DCI) from the Pacific Rim countries as well as the newer markets from the Latin based countries in North and South America. Come on DCI -- Think out of the box. This is doable and expands your overall Fan Base.

For SCV you get the star and if you age-out you get a green plume. In my case I got to keep my uniform (not the norm).

Denver CO 7/12 Denton TX 7/17 Houston TX 7/18 San Ant TX 7/19 Indy IN 8/6-9

Just got a text from someone on tour with SCV and they said the 2 signifies both their theme title and the second SCV version of Scheherazade - so both.

Thought for DCI: I attend anywhere between 3 to 6 shows each drum corps season where the shows are held anywhere between a large high school stadium to a huge sport facility (LOS/Mile High/Denton/etc...). At each show when the corps are coming on the field you have this normal trek of staff members (5 to 10 members) who you see coming up the stairs for each show to find a corner or vacant seat so they can view their corps on the field. Normally its on the staircase heading up the 50 yard line (highest paying seats) and they try to place themselves as high as possible to get the very best view point. Even at DCI Championships at Indy you see the staffs climbing the stairs to find an observation point. My question - Has DCI ever considered providing a reserved area or space in the booths for staff members so they too can view the show in its full glory and at the same time not hinder views of paying customers (does happen sometimes). For myself I kind of enjoy having the staff near by as I hear their "ooohhhhs" and "aaaahhhs" of whether the kids hit their mark (or not) but I can tell it did bother some paying customers to have someone block their view or emergency exit. Don't know if this area was every addressed with DCI. Just a thought...

I believe you're referring to 1957 VFW where the Cavaliers beat St. Vinny's Cadets. The incident was mentioned in Don Warren's book.

Not quite but to clarify - one year Fred Sanford put on the SCV uniform for the California State Open Championship (then our last show of the year) but that contest was open class where Jr and Senior corps competed together (overage allowed).

Got caught cutting school by this music teacher who made me come back that evening to what I thought was detention. The detention turned out to be a drum and bugle corps practice where the teacher handed me a brass Getzen baritone to start blowing into (never blown through a bugle before). I was hooked and ended up marching 7 years, one with the Sunnyvale Sparks and 6 with the Santa Clara Vanguard. That music teacher was Gail Royer.

Anahiem Kingsmen - that uniform was just classy!!!

Chops was instrumental in making the Santa Clara Vanguard was it is today along with Gail Royer, Fred Sanford, Pete Emmons, Don Angelica and many other legends. He took a middle of the road corps and made it into the Rolls Royce of Drum Corps in the early '70s. His influence on SCV along with the rest of Drum Corps was monumental. From coming up with designs that created the first Red Tunic SCV Uniform to embedding his flare into our shows, he was a true genius. SCV "Clowns" was always one of his favorites. I think it would be fitting to see all the corps at this year's DCI Finals play "Send in the Clowns" in honor of Chops. There would not be a dry eye in the place. RIP Chops!

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My Top 5 Shows for 2013 1. SCV (Just a beautifully designed show that is executed well - the old SCV is back! Emotion!!!) 2. Troopers (glad to see the old "How the West was Won" tradition!) 3. Crown (a well executed show - glad I don't have to wear that uniform; I'd have to wear a sock!) 4. Madison (Love the Brotherhood show - MYNWA) 5. SOA (Thank you for entertaining us year after year!)

Thank you for sharing this post. It seems many of us only point out the down side of shows and why don't our corps do better score wise but what truly matters is how it is still possible for a drum corps to go out and create magic on the field that impacts people and not just focused on pleasing the judges. Your message touched me and hopefully many other corps designers who will focus their attention on the audience and not just the booth. -Jesse

I made the trek down to Alabama (from New Mexico) as I was down there for work in the Huntsville area and later saw that there was a drum corps show about 60 miles away in Gadston with SCV, BC, BK, and others so I made the drive down and bought a ticket at the door and saw a great show by myself. I was lucky as my seat was between a crowd of former Saint Joe's of Batavia (NY) who now lived in the Alabama area. They were a riot!!! Nothing like a New York accent with a Southern drawl. That year I sponsored a kid who marched with the BK. I asked all of St. Joe crowd if they would help me call out his name as BK got on the field. They were all fired up and got the entire section to scream out his name that night. When I saw him later at Indy that year I asked him if he heard us in Gadston. He said he did and was wondering who the heck knew him in Gadston Alabama. It was a fun night and one I won't forget. I'll be in SA this year as well - send me a PM if you want to tag up!

I agree Maggie-Belle - you have Blue Devils, Santa Clara Vanguard, Pacific Crest, Blue Knights, Crossmen, Oregon Crusaders, Academy, Seattle Cascades, Troopers, BDB, SCVC, all west of the Mississippi. Its about time DCI relooked going West (contract or no contract with Indy). The West gets a token east coast corps each year that comes West in the early season and by July all the corps have departed east. And your right - what a perfect place to host DCI Finals than the new 49ers Stadium in Santa Clara. If its good enough for the Super Bowl it should be good enough for DCI.

It was the trunk (engine in rear) - could only talk a 3rd baritone to go in there! ;-)

My first car was an English Morris Minor (year? just know it was older than dirt) and it used more oil than gas and had minimal brakes (many last minute right hand turns). Only had it about a month and then I traded it for a French Simca that I could fit 7 corps members in (3 in front, 3 in rear, one in the front trunk). It may not have been the best design, nor the fastest, or the prettiest - but it always got us to practice on time!

Any time I watch the Final push for SCV 1989 - "Phantom of the Opera"; it gets me everytime!

I enjoy posts like this because it shows how many of us come from different walks of life but come together to enjoy a common bond called Drum Corps. My first introduction to Drum Corps (no DCI back then - 1966) is a bit different. I was actually cutting school one day when I got caught crossing the street by the music teacher. He yelled at me to get back to the school side of the street and proceeded to rip into me. Told me to be back at the school that evening for what I thought was detention. I arrived at the school that evening and walked into the Band Room when I noticed all the chairs were rearranged into a semi circle. Seeing that I thought the teacher was going to have me sweep the floors. Just then some kids entering the band room with these cases at their side. I asked if they were there for detention and just at that time the music teacher entered the room and pointed at me to follow him. I did as he said and we went over to this row of closets where he started digging around. I assumed he was going to pull out a mop or a broom but instead handed me this brass baritone bugle. Told me to go over with the rest of the kids and watch what they were doing. That evening I heard a sound like no other I'd ever heard before, not with band or orchestra. There were only 18 horns there but they blew me away with the sound they were making that night. Later that evening when I was leaving with this new case at my side I got to the exit and then looked back into the band room and standing there with this "smirk" smile on this face was the music teacher - "welcome to drum corps kid!". That music teacher was Gail Royer.

I'm in ABQ...