Crayola8

Actually, Chicken Pucks have a new face thanks to Genevieve - now Chicken Puck Cordon Bleu! I think Genevieve decided to fancy up the place after a top 5 finish. The new equipment truck is preetttty. With two (2) sets of staircases to facilitate that nasty on-off business. And Oswald, I do hope you know that the Great Bald Spot isn't so much a spot anymore. More like his whole head. And it's moving with him to Texas in September. Shiner Bock for all! Bluecoats will win DCI because their drum major is a bass clarinet player. The end. -Meghan

It's interesting, Bluecoats' performance at the Toledo contest (their first show) had serious logistical issues getting the pit on the field and beginning the show. In fact, the pit wasn't even fully set up until the corps was in set 24A - that's halfway through the opener. Yet the APD was still released. Aren't "on-field performance issues" part of live performing? You hope and prepare for the best, but sometimes, especially in the early season, stuff happens. It begs the question - if the Cadets have "on-field performance issues" during their finals performance, will they keep the corps off of the Finals CD/DVDs?

"My Heart and I" by Italian film composer Ennio Morricone. There's a version of it sung by Sting.

Left is Chris Meadows, who's been in the corps since 03, i think. Right is Laura Rockman, who's been in the corps since 02, and was the flag soloist in the opener that year. Both are ageouts this year.

Right on.

Uhhhh Hey Bluecoats people. Think it might be about time to let the corps speak (perform) for itself? I know we're all getting antsy, but sheesh. -Meghan

There is a fundamental flaw in all the pro sports/broadway show analogies. It's wonderful to compare the different activities on the basis of performance quality, entertainment, talent, and intense preparation. The difference is, in DCI drum corps, THE PERFORMERS ARE NOT GETTING PAID. This is NOT a "for-profit" activity. I think the main problem here is that there are two schools of thought on what a "show" is. For the people that are upset about incompletion, they go to shows PURELY to be "entertained". Pay their money, plop their butts down, and say "entertain me". My stance on this is very different, and I hope I'm not alone. I pay money to see a show in part to be entertained, but primarily to SUPPORT DCI! This past Sunday I went and saw Phantom Regiments' dress rehearsal. Tonight I'll be going to see the Cavaliers'. Sunday during the day will be spent watching the Bluecoats rehearse. Now, I will have seen the top three Lisle corps' shows in their entirety. I could not pay $25, stay at home, wait for the scores, and be on my way. I've seen the shows! Instead, I got my tickets, and I'll be in the stands. Cheering and wanting to be entertained just as much as the next guy! But mainly because I know that shows like Lisle are the skeleton around which corps build their season, and therefore, their member experience. If you're so incensed by these early, incomplete shows, I have a suggestion for you. Find out where all the corps are rehearsing, and spend your day checking them out. It's free! You won't be "supporting" these incomplete shows that are so obviously ruining your experience. To me, I find that unfortunate. I hope I'm not alone. -M

I'll be at Lisle, and I'll write a review. An incredibly biased review :P -Meghan

Hype music? I think the definitive answer that spans corps boundaries since the 90's is 311. Personally, my favorites were Rush, Tenacious D, and 311. For wonderful comic relief, the Iranian Pop Sensation "Group X" was always popular.

6, not 8.

To be a little more specific, the Bluecoats came within .1 of Phantom in Lisle last year. Phantom 70.35 Bluecoats 70.25 Bluecoats did not beat Phantom in 2004, and I'm nearly positive that they did not in '03. I haven't checked for sure, that's just based on the assumption that with Phantom's West Coast tour, and the end of season placements, Bluecoats did not beat them. -meghan

You are assuming that these auditionees are NOT judged on their talent first. No staff in their right mind would accept a member that could not spin/dance up to par, simply because they met the height and weight requirements. I don't think that's what's happening when these requirements are put into place. I would assume that, in these cases, it's more of a tiebreaker. That if you have two auditionees that can spin the same, and one meets the height and weight requirements, then that person would more likely be offered the spot. I could be wrong, but I SERIOUSLY doubt that anyone is simply accepting members based on their height and weight. -m

Actually, I doubt if anyone thinks that. We all know that's incorrect. I think the issue that can be argued here is uniformity. It's the same reason some colorguards choose to have their guard wear some kind of hairpiece (SCV '04, Bluecoats '05). Part of the "wow" factor of a guard/corps is just how alike everyone moves/plays/spins/looks - it's why we put people in uniforms! For a colorguard, making height/weight "requirements" (although i think most places would consider them more "guidelines") simply adds to that uniformity. Is it discriminatory? Possibly. Does it raise some heavy ethical questions? Absolutely. FOR THE RECORD: I'm not condoning height/weight requirements at ALL, or saying that I am "for" them. Just a little bit of devil's advocate. -meghan

Every corps audition process I know of approaches the marching portion as a "clinic". That is, they teach everyone at the same time, with the understanding that everyone comes from different backrounds. The audition is not so much how well you can achieve the technique as how well you rehearse/respond to instruction. Since you have some amount of basic marching experience, you are more than equipped to handle the "audition". With that being said, you might not want to practice the technique before you go there. Corps' visual techniques are constantly evolving, and there are changes made from year to year. You may not realize it, but even the top corps are tweaking their techniques, both in music and marching, from season to season. These changes are even more drastic with any staff changes. Since you can't completely bet on a complete visual staff sticking around, you can't bet that the corps you're auditioning for won't change their technique between now and then. I'd echo the above advice to just "expect anything". Going in with an open mind will help you 10x more than any technique practice. Also . . . practice your horn :) Much Luck! -meghan

Never ever lose that fear that you'll be a tick. It'll make you good. In the meantime, exude the presence of someone who never ticks, and never will. Don't say it with words, say it with the way you carry yourself. When you DO tick (you will), own it, acknowledge it, then fix it and forget it. Stay quiet, and do what the vets do. Don't be afraid to ask questions when appropriate, and accept criticism with gratitude - staff wants you to be your best, that's why they're saying something. Oh, and early-mid July is going to suck. It just . . . does. For everyone. Learn to laugh through it, and for God's sake, don't whine. Fight for yourself. You'll be fine.

True. 'Cept for the broomstick. It's a crowbar named Gunther. Rubble? -meghan

(sorry to stay OT) i was too. but like you said, vet retention is great, and 10 out of 11 returning is enviable anywhere, especially when you consider that those numbers are similar across the other sections of the corps! and to get OT... I'm looking forward to watching any '06 shows. period. :)

hrm... not really true. at all. that is, unless I'm marching and don't know about it. -Meghan Bluecoats 2005 Mellophone Ageout (you're right about a high vet-retention rate, though, throughout the hornline!)

Actually, the above post is only half correct - the Bluecoats DO have about half their members from the Texas camps. However: The Bluecoats not only hold an audition camp in Texas, but ALL winter music camps can be attended in Texas. There are TWO drill camps that everyone is required to attend in Ohio, one in March, one in April. Now this changes a little depending on which section you are in. Percussion members are allowed to audition in Texas, but after January are required to attend camps in Ohio. Colorguard members attend one audition camp in either Nov. or Dec., then have no camp requirements until the April drill camp in Ohio. So, assuming you're a brass auditionee, count on transportation to each Texas camp (nov through feb), 2 flights to Ohio drill camps (or, if you're crazy, people DO carpool), plus move-in. FYI, the Bluecoats website (www.bluecoats.com) has a very active forum with a section for prospective members. Might get more discussion there. -meghan

I completely agree with you, and that's why we did it! I simply stated that in an "either/or" situation, I'd take today over yesterday. But of course, I'm a student of today! B) -M

Mike, I believe he's referring to an older marching basics exercise, supposedly created by the Blue Stars in their heyday. As I understand, it goes something like this: All members line up along the endzone yardline, elbow to elbow, facing the opposite endzone. Start the metronome, then step off. We did an "8 to 5", but I'm sure it can be varied. Endzone to 5 yardline, then immediately backwards to the endzone. Immediately forward to 10 yl, back to endzone. EZ to 15, back. To the 20, back. 25, back. Continue in this fashion all the way down to the other endzone. Once you get there, continue back to the original endzone, and work backwards. Original endzone to far 5 yardline, back to endzone. Far 10 yl, back to endzone. Continue until you're down to the final 5 yards and back. If my math is correct, that's 4000 yards, or 12,000 feet, or a little over 2 miles. Those 6,400 steps at a tempo of 144 bpm would take about 45 minutes. All of this is done continuously, with horns up. Oh, and by the way, when we did it we weren't allowed to speak and remind each other of where we were in the sequence... think after 25 minutes you'd remember whether you're going to the 30 or 35 yard line? ^0^ We (the 2005 Bluecoats) sampled this "Blue Star Drill" this past summer, but only got about 1/3 of the way through it due to time. Our instructors that had completed it (most of them from experiences in the Phantom Regiment in the 80s) spoke about it as a rite of passage. ALL of us expressed our opinions that we'd rather spend all day with today's shows - tempos in the 180s, fast and hard direction changes, and huge step sizes - than with that kind of sustained, unchanging mental effort. Meghan 2005 Bluecoats Mellophone

pssshhht. Meghan Davis was #3 on the 2005 Bluecoats Contra Line Ugly list. AND the Spirit of Disney winner. My vote is for Doug Thrower. Yowza. Do other corps sections have "lists"? I know the Bloopit has the "Top 12", and the Contra Line does the Ugly List. Any others?