And in first place~

Just to add my two cents.... I went to the Pittsburgh (Baldwin, PA) show tonight. I went primarily because PR was there. Who impressed me the most? Just one second and I'll tell you....BK. What a show. You guys can debate all the technical things but I just like what I like. I cannot stop thinking about BK. Yes, I got a little teary eyed as well. I need to see this show over and over and over.

Heard some grumbling about the $40+ ticket prices for good seats at this show. Was reading the thread about Buffalo ToC and someone mentioned $40+ for good seats at there. No disrespect to any corps intended but why are ticket prices the same for a non ToC show as they are for a ToC show? Just curious.

I'm waiting for people to vent about the huge parking problem at this show. Not sure why the stadium was only about 2/3 full. Maybe the outrageous ticket prices (plus fees), no parking at the school, threatening rain or all of the above. Only us diehards would park somewhere else and take shuttle busses. And they were not luxury busses, either...ha ha.

Just in from the Pittsburgh (Baldwin) show. Someone mentioned that they teared up during BK's show. Well,I teared up a bit tonight during their show. I haven't exactly liked BK's shows through the years for the most part but this show blew me away. I would love to see this show 50 more times but I'll never see it again. Live anyway. I haven't seen enough corps to list a favorite but I just had to toss this in. "Love lasts forever, like an ocean of air."...wow.

Awesome...thank you. I stayed for awhile after the show. Left the parking lot at 9:50 and it took me twenty minutes to get out. It seemed much longer, though. Well worth it.

I go back to way before 1989. It's the generation gap problem. I have lots of favorite shows and music. One would be Cadets " West Side Story" back in the early 80's I think it was. Here is where I contradict myself. When Cadets played "Rocky Point Holiday", I never heard of it. As soon as I heard it, I loved it. To this day, I could listen to it and still love it. So unrecognizable music can become recognizable if you know what I mean. I realize Madison can't play "Malagueña" all the time, as an example. It's just that the vast majority of people in attendance have no idea as to what corps are playing. I have to see or at least hear a corps several times. Once I "learn" a show, I might like it much more then. I doubt whether most do that.

Thank you. It's just a few things I wanted to mention. I'm the type that takes it all in. As in wandering around parking lots looking at corps busses and trucks. I can do without recaps and such. I just love drum corps even though I might not enjoy most shows as much as I would hope to. I was just thinking about the lack of crowd reaction last night. There were very few " stand up and applaud " moments. I could go on and on about the little things that make it worth it. Like the Bluecoats guard member saying "....I'm so excited". It might seem silly but hearing her say that pretty much made my night. To me, that's what makes it worth it. I roam around and pick up on things like that. To me, there's so much more to drum corps than going over recaps. I'll leave that up to others. Me, I'll take a hornline making light standards shake, drumsticks going a zillion miles per hour and guard members all over doing whatever. Not to mention being around other drum corps nuts like us for a few hours.

This might be boring to most but here goes anyway. I'm not into the technical aspects like many in here. I just want to mention things from another point of view..as in a drum corps nut's night with the corps. Went to Spirit's warmup. When they played a bit of " Ol' Man River" a man standing in front of me went nuts. He applauded and yelled something. I thought " There's another one enjoying what some of us still want to hear". One of those moments if you will. I ordered two seats at the end of a row. Got to my seats and there were eight seats to my left. Huh? I wanted easy in and out seats but noooooo...I then decided to stand up at the top. For whatever reason, the seats at the upper rows were re-numbered causing much confusion for those trying to find their seats. The girls from Gateway's band were ushers and were clueless as to where seats were as a result. The rain stopped at about 4:35 as someone mentioned and the sun was out. For the first three corps, we had to look into the sun. Many holding their hands over their eyes. After the long, brutal winter we had here, it was no big deal but something to deal with nonetheless. Hadn't seen Cavies in ages and was anxious to see them. I miss the way they used to be. Spirit...nice show but like Cavies, I miss the way they used to be. Boston...yes, a dark show. Again. I enjoyed it though. Cadets...Wow! You haters won't agree but they are awesome. I love their show. Hornline drives me absolutely crazy...meant as a compliment. The huge platform...a distraction. The narrator..another distraction. He does an outstanding narration but I found myself focused on him more than the corps. I guess that's the purpose. What book is he holding anyway? Good thing GHop doesn't have him holding "War and Peace". Btw, GHop was not there. Missed seeing him down on the field along with the other gazillion staff members. The Tilt in Blue....Wow Number Two! Incredible corps with a great early season performance. It was their show. A corps based in Canton, Ohio having a show near Pgh,,,,thank you so much. Their encore was fantastic. They are smart enough to give people what they want. As in "Autumn Leaves" and turning their hornline loose. The guard faces the corps during the encore. The members on the right put their arms around each other's waist. The members on the left did not. Only a drum corps nut like me would notice something like that. The corps moved forward to the track to finish up. Wow Number Three! They dang near blew the lights out. Another moment to remember. Brilliant, Blooooo. Souvies...If anyone wanted Spirit souvies, they were out of luck. No Spirit booth. If there was, I didn't see it. Boston sold the most. Every time I looked, they were busy. Such nice guys, too. Tons of apparel to choose from. I spent about $60 on three t shirts. One Cadets tour shirt and two Boston. Regarding corps shows...As always, everyone has their own opinion. If I could see one show again, it would be The Cadets'. A no brainer at least as far as I'm concerned. What most of you don't seem to realize is the fact that 90% of the people in attendance are not familiar with what shows corps will be performing. The music has been, still is and will be totally something they don't know. I'm referring to most of us fans who go to show spending big bucks and sacrificing our time when we could be doing something else. On a scale of one to ten, I would give a 4. That might even be generous. It's the same problem as it has been for years...unrecognizable music. People sat on their hands except for the rare moment of standing up and applauding. I don't know what the answer is. I always ask myself what show would I do if I was a show designer. It's not easy, but then I'm not a show designer,lol. All in all, I'm not wild about what corps are doing and have been doing. It's not all about that, though. It's being around other drum corps people. It's about watching kids perform. It's about knowing how much goes into putting a show on the field. The all night bus rides. The volunteers. The intensity of corps members. To see how well those kids are taken care of while their parents are back home. It's about hearing a Bluecoats' guard member say before the show..." I have to go take a shower, fix my hair and do my make-up. I'm so excited!!!" A simple comment I overheard ...awesome. "I'm so excited". THAT is what drum corps is all about. Well, you had to be there. Another moment to remember. I'll take us drum corps nuts over anyone. Enjoy the season everyone. We're all in this together, ya know.

Oakland, you had the courage to post what many, many people would love to say but don't. Us drum corps nuts are and have been divided for a long time. We had a show near where I live last Sunday none of whom were G7. $40 per ticket and not one top seven corps. I have been involved in drum corps either marching or as a fan for over five decades and I feel the same as you do for the most part. It's only going to get worse but I still will be a fan but with much less intensity. Don't let the younger crowd get to you as they only know drum corps as it is today....glorified marching bands. Their attitude is " if you don't like it then go away". That is precisely what many people have done....gone away and put our hard earned money elsewhere. Good thing you didn't see Cadets in a way as they put something like16 (?) " towers" on the field (junk all over the place with most corps nowadays) not to mention transporting all that stuff and George Hopkins has the nerve to want more money. Things are messed up but it's not going to change. Thank you for telling it like it is.

Troopers, thank you for getting it right and for maybe, just maybe, caring about us fans. They can have G7. I'll take Troopers every time. And now back to the annual issue of loud, obnoxious, rude "I'm a big shot staff member and I need to be cool so I yell " staff members

Another G7less lineup...just like Pittsburgh (Baldwin) last night. Nice line up but...but.....but....

So the tail wags the dog? What's wrong with this picture then? Sorry, but I thought DCI scheduled the shows. My mistake.

I pre-order tickets every year no matter what the line-up is. There is no way I would "punish" a show sponsor. Baldwin's High School band is the sponsor and no matter who the sponsor is, they deserve support. I order tickets as soon as I get the order form from Baldwin. They mail the ticket forms in May for an August show. I don't know whether or not I will be able to go (things come up) but I order them anyway. Prior to TOC, this show was one of the first on the schedule.

Fran....you are one man I would love to have met. Someone I have read about for years and years....thanks for all you have done and still do for drum corps. Yes, I am a Steelers fan (even at $100/ticket...$30 for drum corps does not seem so bad, huh?). I live about ten minutes from their training camp. Besides that though, Pittsburgh still has a big drum corps fanbase. It's always nice to see drum corps nuts, to use an old term, get together. Thanks again, Fran.

That was the main point I was trying to make, sky. I may have not worded it as well as I should have. I'm just bitter because they don't bring in the G7 corps to Baldwin anymore. It has nothing to do with the other corps. Used to be Baldwin's lineup would include G7 corps.