Michael Boo

What were the scores announced before Guardians?

Folks, I just wanted to clarify something that’s been floating around so there’s no confusion when we get to the day of the DCI World Championships Prelims. Please share with others so everyone’s on the same page and there are no surprises when we get to August 10. Some of you may have been informed that Flo Marching is live streaming a webcast of the entire Prelims show, right on through Fathom Events’ broadcast of the Big, Loud & Live 14 theater broadcast. Please be aware this is NOT the case. As before, the last 15 corps in Prelims WILL NOT be streamed live. However, you will still be able to see all the corps that will be performing in Semifinals and Finals via the FloMarching webcast.

No. I tried donating it to a local theater group for their prop department and even they didn't want it.

I've long claimed that Joel Alleyne of Etobicoke Oakland Crusaders (DCI Worlds Finalist 1975-1977) was the best and most crowd-oriented drum major I've ever seen. I've written such in a column I do for another website.

I've recently bought a CD with a rendition I never knew existed. It's the first track on the CD and it's a really outstanding performance. This CD also has the original recording of "Bully," performed by Chicago Cavaliers in 1965, 1966. 1967, 1969, and 1970, and also by Cavaliers Anniversary Corps in 2008. http://www.steveweissmusic.com/product/1128364/audio-recordings

1997 as well. Listen to the beginning of Magic of Orlando's show.

I should start banking some sleep now. While I certainly appreciated not having to do Recap Roundup last summer, it felt really weird to go to bed early after a show and feel like I should be writing the feature.

I was looking forward to seeing Star of Indiana's "hamster wheels" used at the end of their 1986 space show, but they accomplished nothing but laughter from the audience and disdain from the judges, so they were quickly removed from the show and literally buried by a backhoe being Star's corps hall.

I was intrigued by North Star's opener of Gino Vanelli's "Prelude to War" when I saw the corps at the 1980 DCI Midwest Championship in Whitewater. The piece was perhaps too subtle for the effect (and scores) they wanted, and by the time I saw them next at the DCI World Championships in Birmingham, the piece had been changed to Chuck Mangione's "El Gato Triste." Drum corps media wasn't what it is today, and so I was unaware there had been a change in musical selection until I saw them in Prelims in Birmingham.

Cavaliers' 1987 show opened with Claude T. Smith's "Festival Variations," a work commissioned by Arnold Gabriel and the U.S. Air Force Band. It was chock full of runs and tricky rhythms, with the corps played in the early season. Then the fire hose came out and the piece got watered down to the point that it was in danger of floating away. The corps members took to calling the final version "Festival Dilutions."

It's how love is shown around here. It's like going to a Don Rickles routine and hope he insults you. It means you've arrived.

It's entirely possible they just don't like the idea and have spent the past few months backing away slowly.

In the pre-DCI era, Cavaliers won the American Legion National Championship in 1966, 1967, and 1969, and won the VFW Nationals Championship in 1957, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1967.

I keep a number of lists like this for referral when needed. Here's the one on first-time World Class finalists. Years corps first made DCI World Championships Finals(Within years, listed in order of placement) 1972 (1-12) Kingsmen Blue Stars Santa Clara Vanguard 27th Lancers Argonne Rebels Troopers DesPlaines Vanguard Kilties The Cavaliers Muchachos St. Andrew’s Bridgemen/Bridgemen Bleu Raeders 1973 (13-15) Madison Scouts Black Knights Commodores 1974 (16-19) DeLaSalle Oaklands/Oakland Crusaders Blue Devils Purple Lancers Phantom Regiment 1975 (20-21) Royal Crusaders Garfield Cadets/Cadets of Bergen County/The Cadets 1976 (22-24) Seneca Optimists Capitol Freelancers/Freelancers Guardsmen 1977 (25) Crossmen 1978 (26-27) Spirit of Atlanta/Spirit from JSU/Spirit North Star 1982 (28) Sky Ryders 1983 (29) Suncoast Sound 1984 (30) Velvet Knights 1985 (31) Star of Indiana 1987 (32) Bluecoats 1990 (33) Dutch Boy 1991 (34) Blue Knights 1993 (35-36) Glassmen Colts 1994 (37) Magic of Orlando 1995 (38) Carolina Crown 1999 (39) Boston Crusaders 2002 (40) Seattle Cascades 2016 (41) The Academy

This can be fun. Let's go back to August, 2015 and respond to rumors about the upcoming 2016 season. Possible examples: Cavaliers are going to be vastly improved. Cavaliers won't be attired in green. Blue Devils will be doing Shakespeare. Academy is going to be hot and finally make Finals. Blue Devils B will finish as high as 15th in World Class. [Name a corps] will slip a bit in competitive positioning. Attendance will go up at [name of show]. Bluecoats will get rid of all headwear. Etc., etc., etc.

The OP has a great question. I agree with those who state the score would continue to go up with all the other elements that are being improved upon from day to day.

Duplicate post.

I suspect that over 99% of the world's population has no idea we exist. Heck, 1% of the population of Indianapolis is about 8,850. I don't know if that many in town even know who we are.

Yes.

It is a logical question. I just don't have the answer.

The voting member directors.

See above comment. The instructors don't cast the deciding votes, but they pass on their input (and results of caucus votes) to the directors. Michael looks at what changes have been made and helps facilitate the understanding of what the changes mean for all involved. It's kind of like the press secretary for a politician who says, "What so-and-so meant is..."

Michael doesn't decide that; only the voting members do. Michael assists in the implementation once the voting members make their decision.

Uh, should I take that personally? My purpose as a writer for DCI isn't journalism; my purpose as a writer is to promote public relations and marketing. Along the way, I try to contribute some knowledge and understanding.

I don't know. I've never had a reason to ask about that.