KemoLondon

A new Alumni Corps was formed in Jan 2013 and is getting ready for it's first performance. The Great Lakes Drum Corps Alumni corps was formed from former members of corps that competed in the Great Lakes Drum Corps Association which was active in the late 60s,70s and early 80s. Corps were from Michigan,Ohio,Ontario,Indiana and Illinois. The corps will perform at the Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival parade on June 9th. The corps is playing Amazing Grace, Vaquero (from the Royal Airs), Battle Hymn and the Children of Sanchez. More tunes are being added as the corps progresses. The focus of the corps will be to perform at parades and exibitions and not a field show or competition as this time. The corps features an experienced hornline and welcomes anyone that would like to perform again and experience the feeling of being back in the drum corps family. Check them out on Facebook by finding Great Lakes Drum Corps Alumni Bugles or Association. (2 pages).

A new Alumni Corps was formed in Jan 2013 and is getting ready for it's first performance. The Great Lakes Drum Corps Alumni corps was formed from former members of corps that competed in the Great Lakes Drum Corps Association which was active in the late 60s,70s and early 80s. Corps were from Michigan,Ohio,Ontario,Indiana and Illinois. The corps will perform at the Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival parade on June 9th. The corps is playing Amazing Grace, Vaquero (from the Royal Airs), Battle Hymn and the Children of Sanchez. More tunes are being added as the corps progresses. The focus of the corps will be to perform at parades and exibitions and not a field show or competition as this time. The corps features an experienced hornline and welcomes anyone that would like to perform again and experience the feeling of being back in the drum corps family. Check them out on Facebook by finding Great Lakes Drum Corps Alumni Bugles or Association. (2 pages).

A new Alumni Corps was formed in Jan 2013 and is getting ready for it's first performance. The Great Lakes Drum Corps Alumni corps was formed from former members of corps that competed in the Great Lakes Drum Corps Association which was active in the late 60s,70s and early 80s. Corps were from Michigan,Ohio,Ontario,Indiana and Illinois. The corps will perform at the Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival parade on June 9th. The corps is playing Amazing Grace, Vaquero (from the Royal Airs), Battle Hymn and the Children of Sanchez. More tunes are being added as the corps progresses. The focus of the corps will be to perform at parades and exibitions and not a field show or competition as this time. The corps features an experienced hornline and welcomes anyone that would like to perform again and experience the feeling of being back in the drum corps family. Check them out on Facebook by finding Great Lakes Drum Corps Alumni Bugles or Association. (2 pages).

A new Alumni Corps was formed in Jan 2013 and is getting ready for it's first performance. The Great Lakes Drum Corps Alumni corps was formed from former members of corps that competed in the Great Lakes Drum Corps Association which was active in the late 60s,70s and early 80s. Corps were from Michigan,Ohio,Ontario,Indiana and Illinois. The corps will perform at the Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival parade on June 9th. The corps is playing Amazing Grace, Vaquero (from the Royal Airs), Battle Hymn and the Children of Sanchez. More tunes are being added as the corps progresses. The focus of the corps will be to perform at parades and exibitions and not a field show or competition as this time. The corps features an experienced hornline and welcomes anyone that would like to perform again and experience the feeling of being back in the drum corps family. Check them out on Facebook by finding Great Lakes Drum Corps Alumni Bugles or Association. (2 pages).

And ALL of this goes to show that this IS NOT JUST A GLASSMEN problem. When you need 1 to 2 million dollars to fund a drum corps to go on tour and exist for ONE year then Houston we have a problem. The national tour model, the expense of housing and rehearsal sites, the high paid staff and instructors req'd now are slowly killing drum corps period. And don't tell me about how corps has changed over the years and we can no longer be local based and such etc. I know the modern reality but would challenge the assumption that it has to keep going down that path. With localization you go back to getting a better chance of local support of businesses that would have a dog in the race (they would know the corps and the kids), volunteers that don't have to take a summer off, staff that would not have to FLY in every month (OR kids),and so on and so on. With ALL the corps staying local or regional until the World Championships the cost would drop dramatically. There WAS a reason there were thousands of corps back in the day. And for the most part the instuctional staff & mgmt did not make a "living" off of corps. And don't come at me saying well then you'll be left in the dust by the G7...Seems like Cavies,Sac,Boston and all of the top 12 BITD had at least 25 to 30 corps at any given time knocking on the door. And for the most part the top people were either local in IN the region. I know I'm an old dino...but this old dino has been marching corps since 68 up to and including this year. I've seen a tremendous amount of change and not all for the best. We all know the good stuff that has happened because of DCI, but seem to want and ignore the bad...and that 800lb gorilla in the room is going to kill corps. Nuff said.

Stu, you're missing the point entirely. Corps like Gmen, Teal etc don't want to join a "smaller" circuit they want to play with the BIG boys. And I don't blame them. The REAL problem is that to play in DCI the corps feel that have do the tour or at least the major parts of it from San Antonio on to Finals. THIS is the straw that breaks the camels back money wise. Unless you're one of the top 5 or 6 corps (and even that is shrinking) most corps do not have the finacial foundation to keep doing tours. DCI does not have to start smaller local arms or anything other than support local or regional competition until the Championships. BUT that would drop the number of the BIG shows where DCI makes most of it's money. Just look at how many corps HAD to fold due to lack of money that would allow them to go on tour and without going on tour they can't attract the members to march. DCI itself is not the problem as much as the current model of a corps needing to march 150 members and going on a extended tour and then come up with the funds to do it year after year. Yes a corps COULD only do a small part of tour or march a smaller corps but then they would suffer competition wise. It seems that BOA can have successful regional and local competitions and then have 90 bands show up for Nationals but DCI is close to not even having 30 something corps. But then again let's "pay no attention to man behind the curtain" which is lack of money and just blame the corps because they don't know how to raise the financial support. What's is going to take for things to change...having Cavaliers or Garfield fold and THEN admit DCI has a problem?

Adding my few cents...BITD (before DCI tours and such)...most corps staff either were volunteer or paid just enough to cover cost and most were local as well, kids were local so need to travel for rehearsal and such was easy and therefore no need for housing during winter "camps" AND most had a very loyal local volunteer and alumni base which could and would help out for EVERYTHING. Corps cost, weekend travel and even take vacation for a one of two week "tour" to Nationals. HOW many volunteers and alumni can afford to travel to the corps they support if they don't live by the corps like before or how many volunteers can fly to meet their corps on the road and take vacation to do it as well. After awhile you burn out even the most dedicated. I've done it and I know you can only do it so long. Now EVERYTHING has to be paid for more than BITD...staff, buses, drivers, new equipment and uniforms (every couple of years at least)etc. Even if we had top notch management for every corps which could run on budget and volunteers who made up for some more the financial demands of today's touring is and will kill drum corps as we know it. I know it's said "if it ain't broke don't fix it" but this model IS BROKE! Sad.

Not to any corps that consider themselves Top 12...at least not YET.

As I've said elsewhere and in this thread, this just isn't a Glassmen issue. Other corps are in trouble and even have folded due to the financial demands of "touring", "staff" and other issues associated with supporting a corps during the year. And when a corps budgets for a year and have things such as bus breakdowns and other issues on the road shortfalls will happen. What do you do then, rob Peter to pay Paul? I agree with those who say the current DCI touring model DOES NOT WORK! And I know there will be those who say well "look at Devils or Crown or Garfield"...We all know there will be exceptions to the rule but that rule is taking us down to maybe eight corps left when this is all said and done. I know this thread is regarding helping the Gmen stay around but for how much longer? If they and other corps that find themselves in finacial diffuculty HAD a stable plan and get through the next season I don't believe the current economic conditions will allow for continued participation. Donations, grants, dues and even corporate support (which is very limited as best) will not continue to support this activity. I keep seeing people just say well get off you butt and donate your time and money and "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain" and then at the end of the day the corps still folds. We NEED to get away from the Summer Touring model and let corps that have the financial means to tour do it and the rest be given a chance to stay local and go to the Championships for the big show. It should not be mandatory. I will be helping Glassmen but we can't keep seeing these pleas for help every year and for more and more corps.

Wrap it up and put a bow on it!

I would agree that the Glassmen have always been a class organization and that they treat their kids VERY well and they ALWAYS get fed very, very well. No problems there. However the almost automatic response that there is no problem at Gmen is like saying "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain". Where's there's smoke there may be fire. How many great corps were here today and gone tomorrow due to issues unknown to the drum corps community? And lately corps have been even unable to finish the season. That 800 lb gorilla in the room called "financial issues" is going to claim even more corps in the near future. I'm not saying that this will be the case with Glassmen but then again don't be surprised that ANY corps could find themselves not on the field.

Is this a 2 valve or a 3 valve?

Ah but laddy...harring the khoir is wun thin...buot singin n it is quite nother! :0 McKemo

While I don't know about if cassettes are "better" than the CD or now digitized recordings I have a couple hundred "In the Stands" recordings that both myself and my buddy Aldo Cunningham (RIP) made over the years. Once cleaned up and the hiss is removed I will say they sound just as good. It was a crying shame that DCI had imposed the no recording rule in as much as all those smaller corps who never made the Top 20 or 25 really didn't have a recording of their corps unless someone "sneaked" in a recorder. But back to the topic...as has been said position is everything in getting a good in the stands recording.

61 Hawthorne as I only saw them do a stanstill when I was 9...WOW. The Princemen any year...just because. 69 Yankee at Legion. Maybe one of the greatest shows ever. Kemo

Agreed. Whether it be 63,66,67,69 OR 70...that WAS Cavies tune. "nuff said"

That's ok bro, I had a bout with Old Timers just the other day and thought I had missed rehearsal in Racine last weekend...not to mention that I'm not marching. lol Kemo the Elder

I agree with the "Don". I'm done. But I will say that threads are conversations in a bar...one comment leads to another and another and pretty soon we're all off topic. And it WILL be interesting to see how the rankings fall in a couple of more weeks. Looking like a great season.

And AGAIN trying to answer the original post regarding this issue...Liz and a few others seem to imply (but maybe not) that the Kilties need to be in MORE shows to get a fairer shake from the judges (ala Cabs/Bucs competing every weekend, etc) and to get more feedback from the same judges. MY original response is still based on that question. 1. The Kilties or ANY midwest corps would love to march more shows period. 2. Travel time and lack of shows restrict that ability. 3. Even with a show to go to finacial restrictions would still apply. So maybe if the Kilts or MBI go to ONE more show a season for instance DCI Minnesota and get judged. They still are not going head to head with their brothers in DCA with the same frequency as the eastern corps enjoy. And for the most part not even the same judges. So how as a previous poster has suggested, are any improvements in the show or changes going to be seen by those judges? Let no one here think that I'm saying "oh the poor Kilties or oh the midwest seniors don't have a fair shake". It is what it is and all I've tried to say is that there IS a difference between the east and the midwest (and the west for that matter)in the availability of contest during the season. And when DCM folded all that did was make it worse. I hope that helps explain my position better. Plain and simple.

Fair enough...

...not just yet. If the shoe fits, wear it. Now it is.

Jeff, I respect you highly so I'm not getting into a pissin contest with ya. My comment had nothing to do with the scores the Kilties have rec'd at DCA. They have been fair and for the most part on par with the earlier DCM / DCI shows we did compete in the midwest. My comment was regarding the earlier comment suggesting that Kilts needed to be exposed MORE at contest. My point being that it was FAR more difficult to do that given the current show availablity. Brass and Govies still have the same issue as well. I said NOTHING about the scores. "Nuff said". Kemo

Philosophy aside...how about the LACK of shows to compete in the midwest since the death of DCM? DCI pushed that circut right over the cliff and killed the local shows for the most part with it. When I marched Sr. Kilts we had AT LEAST two shows every other weekend to compete in with the juniors and seniors. Now what's left? For the midwest seniors to try and get to DCA shows in the east is not finacially viable given fuel cost and travel time alone. I think Kilties, Govies and Brass understand that competition brings out the edge but where IS the "local" adreniline rush? DCA east corps had the advantage of being in each others backyard for all those years and competing every weekend. How many of those corps would make the trip to Detroit, Chicago or St. Paul to make a show today? The midwest corps would LOVE to go head to head with the east at least once a month. But. Reality sucks.

Cavies 67 and Cabs 76!

Wait a minute...I started a topic regarding a potential girl marching Cavies (which I think was completely stupid but based on a real question posed by someone I know who was watching Cavs rehearse) and it was CLOSED based on what? I'm not and never had been one to stir the pot so to speak of trying to start a stupid thread just to get people all stirred up but just why was this closed? It was a simple question. NOT flame baiting or putting down a corps or anything else. I think based on my original post that I stated that I think my friend who thought Cavies had a girl marching was NOT TRUE. And actually I was just trying to get some verification to SHOW her how wrong she was. Period. So we have here a potential censorship issue because someone thinks this could start what?... It was bad enough back in the days that "that person who can not be named" kept crap going forever and NEEDED to be shut down was not. But what is going on here? So my simple question is to Bawker or any admin is why was my original thread closed? Give me a good reasonable answer and I'm done with this and will agree that it should be close. For the record I think Cavies and Madison should ALWAYS be all guy. Nuff said.