Ryan H. Turner

I can definitely see Brasso's point now that I put my "dad" hat on...and sit here and remember the screams on DCP of drum corps being what? ALL ABOUT THE KIDS?!?!?!? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh...in THAT context, those pics ARE pretty...uhhhh...bad. To say the least...I wonder what the DADS of each of those two girls is saying right now?

Fair enough...however, my tongue was in my cheek and it was tinged with a tad of cynicism and bitterness because there is an apparent "anti-drum corps" stance by the remaining 350-850 auditioners that DIDN'T make their corps of first choice who take their ball, or horn, or flag, or drum, and go home and don't play with anyone else. It's been a long time "complaint" if you will...so...but I do get what you're saying. I know...it's all about inventory!

Sort of trumps the whole "We had 1000 people show up at auditions" wild tales coming from drum corps "auditions" hanh? Hmmmm...maybe 150 is unrealistic?

Now I feel guilty for laughing, Brasso.

I don't have access to the video from where I am right now, but I assume when I can view it later today at my hotel I'll probably be balling like a baby. WHY? Because THIS is what the spirit of drum corps is all about. I absolutely LOVE the activity because of stories like this. I don't know much about the Blue Stars but it sure is exciting to see this happening. Good job you guys!! From an olllllllllllllld VK'er....

TWIRL!?!?!?!?!? Anyways, meanwhile back at the ranch...

OHHHHHHHHH HARVEY!!! You're such a great reviewer. I hate you. (good job)

What is your issue dude? I thought the Velvet Knights should have won the championships in 1992. SO? After 41 posts here on DCP, maybe you should temper your expectations a tad, eh? This is a REVIEW area, and people's opinions may be ill-informed or "wrong", but to lambaste someone for thinking a corps is boring is pretty dumb. I think some corps are pretty boring, and I don't like the Blue Devils. Doesn't change anyone's mind but gives a different perspective. She wasn't trying to brainwash anyone into changing their mind was she?

I did this, albeit probably nowhere near as well as Kevin, at Madison in 2006. Sat in the pressbox with the DCP and BD crew and had a blast--but truly, it wasn't all that great. I mean, MY WORDS weren't all that great. I would LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS THOUGH (cough cough cough). I have in the world of 911 dispatching for almost 20 years, so I type PRETTY dang fast.

Whooooooooooooooooo knows. Maybe it was because of NO narration? OK.....bad joke....

Nikk...love the suggestions. I think the Boston's show idea would be better suited for Glassmen...or Academy...but that's just me.

VERY partial to the 1983 edition of the Geneseo Knights. What a PHENOMENAL show--at least, musically. I never have "seen" that show, but boy did I listen to my DCI cassette tape over and over and over with GK on it. Loved it. Others: Valley Fever Avant Garde (83 as well...the year of the out of control sop soloist) Florida Wave (our pastel clad brothers from the south--1987!!! oooooo rah!!!) Marauders (the unfairly titled "best marching band in DCI") Arizona Sun (would have been what the Academy is NOW had they stuck around)

Just wanted to give you some quick props Mr. Perkins--really enjoyed your review.

I don't know if there is ACTIVE revenge occuring, and like Mr. Willis said, it would ultimately lead to the Dark Side and death and destruction. BUT...I'm sure somewhere in some minds out there, people may harbor a bit of "evil satisfaction" privately that they may have "beaten" a former employer....OR MENTOR...

Reminds me of a certain pressbox window that was cracked in 1980 by a certain loud corps from down south....

I just had to add to this--the pic above is of a model of bus which is very similar to the original VK busses that we used in 1985 and 1986. In 1987, if I'm not mistaken, we went with all coaches that we either leased or something...there were white and really big and we put "VK" in stick 'em letters on the side. Otherwise they were unmarked busses. Anyway, in 1985, enroute to a show in Colorado (and I can't remember which one but I THINK it was Glenwood Springs), I was on the lead bus. The bus driver was some younger guy that was a real hothead. Very impatient driver. Anyway, apparently he was in a mood and honked at a car in front of us to move over to the left so we could get over to the right to make a right turn at an intersection. The driver of said car pulled over but wasn't especially happy with our driver's decision to honk. So...he did what any good driver would do. He pulled a gun on us. Myself and the bus driver were the ONLY ONES that saw the gun--a really big silver .357--and our driver yelled "OH ####!!!" and I ducked from my front seat. He "punched it" as much as you can punch a bus, and we sped away. Pretty freakin' scary. Everyone on the bus was like "WTF ARE YOU DOING UP THERE!?" Of course the other "bad story" of my time with VK in relation to our busses was the memorable crash in Pennsylvania early in the morning enroute to Allentown in 1987 for DCI East. Those on the bus that crashed were pretty banged up, but we marched semi's and finals anyway. I don't know why, but as I sit here and type this in 2008, I seem to recall that in 1987, no one seemed in the drum corps community seemed particularly concerned we were in a major accident the morning before DCI East. Could have been VERY tragic for us...but it wasn't.

Duh--I just remembered that I "met" Sue through RAMD as she and I, from two totally different eras and AREAS of drum corps--shared a mutual friend that unfortunately passed away several years ago. That just hit me...

What is a "split roll"?

I can't believe I missed this thread. Being our arch rival, I should say there are NO shows that are good from the Freelancers, and then fold my arms and stomp away. But I'd be lying. 1982--I was absolutely HOOKED on that show, ESPECIALLY the closer, "Even Now". That just was IT for me when I was in high school. There's also this strange cosmic confluence moment that had my path and the path of then-drum major Carl Allison cross in the summer of 1982 when I literally stumbled on to their rehearsal field in Sacramento one night--only to have our life paths cross again LAST year with our involvement in the Kingsmen Alumni Corps. STRANGE SMALL WORLD. Anyway--1982 I think is #1. 1988/89--Both years were phenomenal to me, because I loved the music. Freelancers were never anything exciting to me visually (except for their bad ### uniform--not counting the abomination of 1985), but musically, they really beat me up. I LOVED IT. But 1988 and 1989 was FANTASTIC music--very exciting, and FREAKING LOUD!!! Especially in 1989. Good LORD!!! 1984--I can't say I liked the WHOLE show, but the parts I did like put it into 3rd place. The whole opener, from the "Live, From Sacramento!!!!" announcement to the end of the very hip (and very fast) "What Is Hip" was great. I don't think there's been a song in drum corps history that "cooks" as much as Freelancers' opener. While at the time it was considered envelope pushing (but now apparently commonplace), I for one thought the singing could have been done SO much better, but that no matter it was out of tune, it still provided a GREAT backdrop for "Born Again". More importantly, I would "practice" my G bugle from VK with my headphones on and play right along with the soloist...him...and the guy from the Bridgemen that did the bari solo in the Al Jerrau song whose name is escaping me. Pretty good analysis of the enemy, hanh????

I bet ya Lee Rudnicki would know what to do.

JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZO PETE...how about we focus on Teal Sound's dilemma and what we're doing to help without: A) Worrying about the WHY's!!! SENSELESS. You're not there, you have no idea their procedures. Let it go. It doesn't make it less of a crime or a disaster for the corps. Sheeeeeeeeeeeesh sakes alive... ANNNNNNNNNNNND... B) Discussing the socio/economic/political make up of Louisiana. It's NOT central to the DISASTER that has come upon Teal Sound!!! $25 from me. More to come next Friday as I learn more and find out what they need...

You think THAT was interesting...try having an "argument" with Ken Mazur. YIKES!!! He crushed me like a worm.

CFREY KICKS ###......AGAIN....AND AGAIN....AND AGAIN!!!

WAIT A SECOND!!!! I won a freakin' gRAMDie!! Garry--didn't you and I win "Best Friends on RAMD" or something like that? Back in 2000 or 1999??

I had the great opportunity last year because of my announcing responsibilities for DCI-Pacific and DCI to meet Pioneer and to meet their director, the famous Roman Blenski at the Long Beach Kingsmen Family Night show. I too have spent many years equating scores and placements with the term success, and rarely could I see past that equation. But I will tell you this. And this is from someone who is about as removed from the Pioneer organization as I can be--I live in Southern California, I never see Pioneer at shows, I don't know anyone there, I think I only know one person in the entire state of Wisconsin, etc, etc. But what I saw last year that came out on the field to perform an unpaid exhibition to the crowd was a corps that had a TREMENDOUS amount of pride and family and esprit de corps. It DID NOT MATTER ONE WHIT what scores and placements were, because I could see success in the faces and attitudes of those kids and their very enthusiastic (and young--or I'm just freakin' gettin' too dang old) staff. Mr. Blenski gave me a copy of their corps "handbook" as a small gift as I sort of created a script for them right on the track, and this is a corps that honors their history, their traditions and their values. Can a kid get that kind of training from any other corps. Perhaps, but Pioneer makes sure it gets taught and internalized and bammo. What do you get every year? It may not be the most difficult, trend creating, outside of the box thinking, progressive and innovative show you ever saw. Heck, it may not even be clean. But I can guarandamntee you those kids are getting a great experience from an awesome organization that teaches the RIGHT things, and I bet those kids are better for it. I think DCI judges could give them a -35.9 and have them in last place until DCI fizzles, and it wouldn't matter. Because I bet ya Pioneer will STILL exist and will STILL....BE....SUCCESSFUL. I don't speak for them officially, but I think it's safe to say they don't want any freakin' pity points, thank you very much.