[No more Tour Fee Excuses]

Instead of presuming jealousy on the part of the kids who pay full price, imagine instead that they see a very talented musician who can't afford the fees up front and are willing to "share" their fees in order that he/she can march with them. Remember that Surf is not a full-tour corps. The kids who march there surely are among the most dedicated, knowing they'll likely not contend for a medal, and won't have a full tour.

Above all, Jacobs and staff demonstrate yearly that their goal is to provide the experience to kids who usually have to choose between working and marching. IMHO, Surf needs accolades and support - not finger-pointing at obvious potential problems - to keep their model open to kids who otherwise would have no choice but to work instead of march.

When a bus breaks down the stronger ones get behind and push without regard to who's not quite as able. That lesson is as much evident in Surf's model of developing its kids as is playing for a trophy.

Just my .02, but I sure don't want to be the one standing in front of the bus and pushing the other way...

This. ThisThisThisThisThisThisTHIS.

I can't stress these points more than enough. Many people assume that most members would be upset at the idea of letting in members come in late for less money. We see it as new friends that can help make the corps better LONG before we see dollar bills. I know Surf won't medal. I know they won't make Finals this year (doesn't mean I can't dream). However, the experience is what matters to me right now, being a vet that instead of learning the ropes of DCI life, can share and help other newbies with that same life.

[No more Tour Fee Excuses]

Question: What are you going to do when most members march for little to no dues, or for free, and Surf is not able to collect funding in "arrears" through fund raising?

The idea is not that people can directly "name their own price," per se. We'd expect people to pay as much as they can out of pocket to lessen the amount that they have to raise. Obviously, as a corps that stresses teamwork, we're looking for people who not only can play, but who work with others and show responsibility. You wouldn't expect a kid who says "I'm only going to pay $1 and not try to make up the rest with fundraising" to be a responsible person and as such wouldn't want him in your corps. Our point is that we will take those who are willing to put in the work, even if that means we are still undersized. We will march a very small corps with everyone paid for before we march a full corps with half the members not paid for.

[No more Tour Fee Excuses]

Hey guys,

Being a veteran in the Jersey Surf this year, I was fortunate enough to (along with my fellow vets) speak with Bob J. via conference call about this program before it was announced. Obviously, I can't talk about EVERYTHING we talked about, but if anyone has any questions about this, I can try to answer them.

Personally, I have a really good feeling about this. It may be a little late to grab a lot of members this year, but next year I'd expect auditions to skyrocket.

[Pre-June Prediction Thread]

Here it is:

1. Troopers

2. Pioneer

3. The Academy

4. SCV

5. Boston Crusaders

6. Glassmen

7. Cascades

8. Blue Stars

9. Cavaliers

10. Cadets

11. Blue Devils

12. Phantom Regiment

13. Bluecoats

14. Carolina Crown

15. Velvet Knights

16. Bridgemen

17. Yamato

18. Kilties

19. Does it really matter at this point.....?

You totally forgot 27th Lancers LOL

[Songs that get stuck in your head]

Crown 2010 intro... Mahler's 2nd

Couldn't get it out of my head, even when on tour...

[Your favorite Corps show]

Well... with only one year of DCI experience under my belt so far, I'm gonna have to go with the 2010 Jersey Surf.

HOWEVER, if the corps improves at the rate it has this year compared to last year, there will definitely be a new favorite of mine.

[If you were judging Finals 2010, where would you place the 23 WC corps]

Then... what WAS it ?

Doh... I'll fix that

[Crusaders choose Jupiter/Mapex/Majestic]

Nor am I...

Mapex drums are heavy as ####, their carriers are meh, and their stands are confusing to set up. Not to mention metal rims that make the drum EVEN HEAVIER. Plus, PowerMax heads suck.

[Most Anticipated Drum Corps (World Class)]

Obviously, being a member of the corps, I'm excited for the Jersey Surf this year. Reading review comments, the worst part about our show last year was that we played it safe and simple (I still say it's because we have an undersized hornline). I can tell you that this year's show will blend more stuff together an will be much more fun and exciting this year. No "vanilla" America stuff...

[If you were judging Finals 2010, where would you place the 23 WC corps]

My take...

1. Blue Devils

I didn't like the show. Not one bit. That doesn't mean it wasn't the cleanest, best performed show I've seen in a long time.

2. Bluecoats

A pounding, loud, amazing show that has stuck with me since the first time I saw it. Currently my favorite show I've ever seen.

3. Cavaliers

Why Bloo over Cavies? Simple. I only remember certain moments and pieces of "Mad World." I can't get a single second of "Metropolis" out of my head. Bloo made a more lasting impact on me, and that gives them an edge.

4. Cadets

Why Cadets over Crown? See Bloo over Cavies. Also, a fun fact: the guard member who gave Geoffrey his shako at the end is a DR at a dorm at my college, and I march with a Cadets mello in said college's marching band.

5. Crown

Pass

6. Phantom

I've listened to "The New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms" and must say that Phantom did great justice to the source material. The most emotionally powerful show I've ever seen.

7. Blue Stars

Not much to say. Liked the show, and our bass line was always jealous of their line's drums; a beautiful red shell with great heads (foam-dampened, not PowerMax like we used at Surf).

8. Santa Clara

Just a shocking turn-off of a show for me... A stark contrast from "Ballet for Martha," a favorite of mine. Not that I don't like Bartok, but it just didn't work.

T9. Madison Scouts

T9. Boston Crusaders

I can't decide between these two. Power vs. Finesse, Theatrics vs. Storytelling, Green vs. Red. These two corps are almost polar opposites. I loved both shows, and thought they were both executed brilliantly.

11. Blue Knights

Would have been a third tie for 9th, but not as much reaction out of this show as the other two. Still, I never thought I'd say that BK had a streak of shows that I enjoyed.

DISCLAIMER: The rest of these placements are placed mostly on hearsay, since as a marching member of a corps I did not have a chance to see most of these shows.

12. The Academy

Who should go here? Certainly not the Glassmen, who I will discuss later, but from what I hear this was the most enjoyable show of this tier of corps.

13. Colts

The Colts may just buy a lease on this spot, since it seems like they never leave it.

14. Glassmen

Wanna know how boring this show was? At Atlanta, the thing my group and I noticed the most was how often the bass drums dropped their puffies during the show. Naturally, they were at most of our shows in the second half of tour, so it became a running joke among us. I'm trying to remember ANY Glassmen show I've ever seen.

15. Troopers

The gap spacer between the top 14 and bottom 8. Much closer to the 14 than the 8.

16. Spirit

Our touring buddy in the 1st half of our tour. A solid show that was solid, but unspectacular.

17. X-Men

Watched them on a TV screen in Atlanta. The circle drill wasn't too circle-y, but the music was good.

18. Pacific Crest

Don't know anything about this show.

19. Mandarins

Surf coulda beaten them in drums (they did in Allentown, IIRC)

20. Jersey Surf

Ah yes, my show. I will argue to this day that we should have beaten Teal Sound. Our biggest downfall this year (and -spoiler- next year at this rate) is that we had a VERY small horn line. It's our catch-22... we need more horns to be competitive, but we need to be more competitive to get more people to join our horn line.

21. Teal Sound

Guard outfits for the pit... electric guitars as a primary instrument... god, I do not like this corps.

22. Cascades

Ironically played "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow" just before a large rain storm in Fairfax, VA once... that's all I know about the show.

23. Pioneer

Below Cascades only because I have an idea of what the Cascades' show was like.