Phalanx

The threads about getting higher quality DVDs always seem to have backwards logic. Everyone always mentions that DCA doesn't sell enough to justify higher quality, or that DCA just isn't popular enough in general to attract better bids. Wouldn't it make sense to present a high-quality product to increase interest in DCA? My only exposure to DCI for 3 years were DCI DVDs and the fan network. If DCI's video were the same quality as DCAs, I doubt I'd be half as interested in drum corps as I am now. I really think that a corps could benefit greatly in terms of recruitment by having quality video recordings. Showing someone that is on the fence the half-###ed product that BVP puts out does just the opposite. I watch the DCA DVDs from when I marched, and I don't get any of that energy that I get from when I marched it. I hope everyone keeps complaining. Everyone says that complaining isn't going to change anything because it's already set in stone. Keep complaining, you'll be surprised. Look at politics.

And after!

I just love how regardless of topic, everyone finds a way to say there two cents on whatever the hell bothers them about the activity. Regardless of how it relates to the topic on hand... Awesome! Loudest Overall to me : Crown

You're under the impression that 100 means perfect. 100 is just the highest score you can get. The main priority of the judges is to get the rankings right. At the end of the season there may be very little difference in performance and execution levels between the corps. So when the 8th place corps earns a legit 90 in a caption... What do you do if the 7 corps above them each do slightly better? 100 doesn't mean perfect, it just means it was the best of the evening. That makes comparing years by score a pain, but that's not what the judges are concerned about.

Trooping the stands would definitely be welcome, but the thing that I always want most is more exciting encores/victory concerts. Usually they just play the show again, which is realllly boring the second time around with no visual package. DCI encores are a blast because they play fun tunes that the crowd can relate too and sort of rock out with the corps with... But alas, a weekend only rehearsal schedule doesn't lend time to learning other songs =(

Yea I think most corps do many as they possibly can while still maintaining as much rehearsal time as possible. The problem with parades, is that the majority of people watching still have NO idea what we do, they think all we do is the parades. In fact, I think they might be a little surprised to find out most of the corps membership absolutely hate marching in those parades . They're a necessary evil for most corps and I think morale would take a bit of a hit if they started doing more parades and were required to do some off-season/mid-week.

Horray for diplomacy on DCP!

I remember I had the pleasure of seeing the commercial that was made for Mission Drums in Lawrence. I'm not sure who ran that commercial, but it was just what I wanted to see at 6:48am on ESPN!

I was just glad that Kingston is ONLY $20/ticket and that there in fact were six corps. Some cost more and have less. I'm sure there are a hundred official reasons why the tickets have to be that much, but I think a serious brainstorming session has to be undertaken by DCA and its represenative drum corps to figure out how to lower the cost. Anytime I try and get someone else to come with me to see a show that hasn't been to one before I find that I have to preface it with, "Well it costs $20 for a ticket which sucks, but it's still fun!" I feel embarassed for people who haven't been to shows before because it must be such a shock to see the price. There is no denying that drum corps shows are awesome, but for the same price or less people can get tickets to things that they already know they love. People aren't going to spend more to try something they only might like, when they can spend that same money to do something they will like. $20 gets you reasonable seats at any major league baseball game except red sox/yankees, and great seats at minor league games. Concession prices are comparable, so why would new people go to see a drum corps show? A baseball game is just one example, but I'm sure I could come up with plenty more if I put my mind to it. My guess is that 95% of people go to a drum corps show because they either marched themselves or know somebody who is marching. That is NOT how a successful organization thrives.

Woooo, the season just got a little bit more interesting. The Hurcs hornline had already made a HUGE advancement over last year with Justin Mitnik... adding Joe Exley will only help them even more! As long as the membership responds to this great addition, the Hurcs have a shot.

I always wondered (about half my posts on these boards have started with this phrase haha)... I always wondered, if the season started today, would the scores be in the mid 80s like they are? Or would they be put in the mid 70s like they always are. Because to be honest, I really don't think most corps improve 20 points over the course of a season, yet everyone just slowly get bumped up from week to week haha.

I think I've heard since the start of the season that every corps "moves a lot" and that every corps "doesn't move very much". I really think that at least bucs, MBI, hurcs, and cabs, are all pushing the envelope in their visual package. MBI moves a ton and then I think stops for a ton. Bucs are moving throughout though I think at slightly smaller paces, Cabs are hauling at different points in their program, and Hurcs have their tempos cranked to pretty insane levels throughout most of their program. I always try to guess tempos when I'm watching a show for some reason, and Hurcs were pushing at least 160 through every piece but their ballad, and were close to 190 at the end of their closer (that based on my watch and my subdivision, so it's probably pretty off, but #### it was quick). Either way these "Senior" corps were moving like solid open class DCI corps. I think the members of the top 4 corps that are gasping for air at the end of their programs would be very discouraged to here that people think they don't move .

I often wonder about the reasoning behind reviews. I often wonder if people are reviewing the performance and the show that was put on, or the corps itself over the past 10 years. I always sense a strong dose of "what has always been" in reviews on here. I often wonder if all the corps put on different uniforms and changed their names and were presented them as 6 completely different corps, how the reviews would turn out. I see a lot of people giving empire a ton of credit, where I don't think credit is really due this year. They have always been good in the past, so I've noticed reviews of them be particularly forgiving. Where my opinion would be that they just don't have it this year (yet). I see people refusing to believe that the Bushwackers have really fallen off their stride. Instead we all focus on the positives of their program instead of its glaring weaknesses. The hurricanes have been miserably mediocre for so many years, and no one wants to seem to accept that they can change or be the best at something. MBI is still this massive mystery corps that seems to be the center of everyones undying affection because they get seen so little. Cabs always get the cabs were cabs thing, but no one ever really focuses on what exactly they did good or bad (besides that they were loud). I can almost predict what reviews will be before I even read them, even if I've never seen the shows or scores before. It's very possible that this sentiment is mine alone, but I still contend that there is a ton of bias in every review on here (probably in my own as well). That being said, I'm still glad people write the reviews, because that people actually care. And if I agreed with everyone review I read, what would be the #### point of reading them? Also, it was an AMAZING show in Scranton. I don't agree with how a lot of the captions were scored and the spreads associated with them, but I do think the overall ranking is correct. But from 1 to 6, these corps were smokin' and an absolute pleasure to watch.

The only thing that would make me not put brass is thinking of SCVs show this year. It's so bad ### that they just walk right off the field after they rip my face off with simple gifts. I still put brass though, because that's one facilitated the bad ### walk off.

I'm glad the weather is going to be good, I just hope that attendance doesn't take a massive hit because of the DCI show in Allentown. I'm just afraid there is going to be no one in the stands for arguably one of the best shows in DCA history.

Yea the SCV shot selection was HORRENDOUS. I was getting all pumped for the company front and BAM! I get a nice close up of a cymbal player. I wish I could combine the Atlanta audio with the San Antonio visual. Any idea if/when there will be an audio download for Atlanta?

I think that it's the order that it appears in on the calendar on the DCA website. Which would put it at : Bushwackers Minnesota Brass Empire Statesmen Buccaneers Hurricanes Caballeros I'm pretty sure the order on that site has been right for every show I've been to so far. This is going to be a great show. Easily the biggest event in DCA this year apart from finals.

Won't do a full blown review here, just a few passing comments. My comments about Bush will likely be the same until the last couple weeks. Awesome guard, skilled horns, but need more. Hurcs : I was in Bridgeport where they put a decent show on the field. In Bridgeport they put on a hell of a show in their opener, and then clearly were tired for the rest of the show. In Wayne, it's like they overcompensated. The opener was decent, but not WOW! Then the rest of the show was actually really steady. It never fell apart or seemed weak, but the impacts were really lacking. A lot of mental errors. It may be the second show, but come on people, horns up together, horns down together, it's the easiest part of your show. Also they came in right behind the Bucs in field brass, I respectfully disagree, they looked sloppy and again I think it was mental. My observations of the past have been that corps that can do that easy crap right, are the ones that can then build on that and do the hard, impressive things well. It was the same problem last year, they had a strong program, strong first half of the season, but throughout it all they always gave in to the easy things. Last year, I thought they might make a late season push and knock off the bucs or at least come in second. I remember when that thought vanished instantly from my mind. It was in Kingston, NY and the Hurcs were playing their ballad, they came up to the big hit AND!!... Half the corps misses the horn pop. What a buzz kill. It looks like the hurcs are in danger of doing exactly what they did last season. Start strong, become complacent, and then coast into the bottom half of the top 5. Do they even want to win in Connecticut? Rather... Do they want to put in the WORK it takes to win in Connecticut? I wrote way more than I anticipated there, but I always get fired up when a decent corps lets a potentially great season go to waste. Cabs : They had almost the opposite problem of the Hurcs. They came in with power and energy. All of the big hits ripped my face off (which is my favorite part about drum corps). So I was cheering my ### off, but I could see why the score came in where it did. All the stuff in between the big hits was a little lacking. The drum line was tasty, and the guard was solid, but at the same time there was something lacking. That something is what ever "energy" doesn't provide. One other side comment, someone in the Bridgeport review mentioned that the cabs don't move a lot, and then someone in this one said the hurcs don't move a lot. They looked like they were absolutley hauling in both their shows. The Hurcs tempos never seem to drop below 160, and the Cabs are taking huge strides and zooming across the field from the start, so I don't know where those comments came from. I feel like they are the two most active corps this year (though I haven't seen empire or Minnesota). Bucs : They probably have the best show they've had in years. At the same time though, so do the other corps. Tonight's performance was alright. Alright for the bucs translates to an enjoyable, crowd pleasing event, but you guys know you can do better I'm sure. The opener got me juicing for the rest of the show, and the tenor feature was sensational! The rest of the show seemed just a tad flat though. Bucs are good, but they can be caught! Which was also the case last year, but no one stepped up and the Bucs certainly did NOT let up. They are a corps who does the EASY things right. I hear people whine all the time about them, but even if they are just as good as another corps in most aspects, they do the easy things right and get those extras points out of it. nice job guys! Nice job to all performing corps. Even if I didn't give a big review on you, you guys were well received in my book!

Since I live in the east, I'm more excited about the Hurcs, Cabs, Bucs showdown. I hope that the Bucs get jumped by the hurcs or the cabs, just to make things interesting, but deep down inside my inner-reason is shouting, "It's just not gonna happen buckwheat". Good luck to the teams in each showdown!

I think that a lot of shows could just do a better job advertising. I know the Bridgeport show, I've never seen a flyer, nothing on the local news, and nothing in the local newspaper. Then they expect people who have no idea what to expect 20 dollars. Also, no post-show newspaper stories that I've seen. That doesn't seem like a winning combination to drum up enthusiasm for drum corps. But I think the corps could probably be convinced to do two shows if it were feasible logistically.

hahaha I liked the review buddy. Clearly biased, but you didn't pretend it was anything else. I'll just offer a few brief words... The CorpsVets were awesome! Georgia on my Mind made me wish I was from Georgia. Cabs were solid. Even though I essentially know what the show will sound like every year, I always enjoy the product they deliver. Also, I actually thought they were moving quite a bit. To me it seems like they move a ton, but don't actually go very far (from side to side). I really loved Con Te Partiro, though the tone quality wasn't that good at times, but I think ballads are the hardest to play well at the first few shows. I'm pretty sure it'll be a force to be reckoned with by finals. Hurcs were good. That colorguard is just phenomenal. Their perennial weakness, the hornline, was the only caption they didn't take. 10 tubas are nice, but only 8 were on the field for most of the show, and that feature they had was... iffy. That being said, they ARE vastly improved. I just checked their website for the brass caption head to see where the improvement came from, and that Mitnik has brought them lightyears ahead of where they were last year. I just hope the hornline isn't banking on the other sections to prop them up, because a certain corps from Pennsylvania will just annihilate them when they see each other if they do.

The CorpsVets are awesome. I think that for the most part most corps are made up of polite, classy people, but almost all of them always have the few troublemakers that erase the hardwork of the rest of the corps. But I don't think the CorpsVets have that problem as I've yet to see any member of the CorpsVets do anything that was anything short of classy. I don't get to see them very often, but every time I do, it's a pleasure. I'm just glad that they're now putting a product on the field that backs up their character. LOVED the show in Bridgeport, deserved the multiple standing ovations it got.

Well the recap is up... Bucs swept all the captions. lol On another note, props to DCA to getting out the scores fast, and the recaps up pretty quick!

*sigh* the scores are remarkably similar to last year... Another undefeated season for the blue team?

I believe I read that the price of admission in Bridgeport this year is $20... That's getting pretty absurd. At least there are 5 corps, but no bucs. The economy is bad... so the decision is to charge more for tickets and alienate the fan base? I've tried to convince friends and family to come to a show... Tough to have my family to drop 80 bucks to see an hour's worth of performance.