Valve Oil

Mea Culpa, Loose cannons on DCP, and a handful of rowdy members not withstanding, I think DCA basically handed out a death sentence to the Renegades for the actions of a few. Had they made it clear that subsequent bad behavior under the DCA banner would NOT be tolerated, and not have been so rigid with the penalty of a one year suspension,(which is tantamount to a death penalty), perhaps the other 80 or 90 members wouldn't be deprived of the activity they (we all) love. The activity on the whole is in it's death spiral......the fan base is evaporating... that's indisputable, so DCA, in essence, by eliminating a top ten corps, could have been a tad more proactive in its reaction and response to the agregeous events. If individuals broke the law they should have been arrested...if the behavior was deemed innapropriate public behavior within the law, IMO, DCA shot itself in the foot. My opinion is only based on sketchy info gleened from DCP....I don't really know what took place, but the sad thing is that the activity has been damaged. I can only wish the Renegades well as they attempt to recover.

He also taught the New Bedford Whalers, The Amboy Dukes & St. Lucy's......He was a Giant in those "Golden" years of drum corps!

The World is Waiting for a Sunrise!:thumbup:/>

What he said!...The comeback trail can be challenging, but it's also very gratifying....Good luck Bush!

Best wishes Sabers!..........GROW, GROW, GROW....upstate needs you!:thumbup:/>

Apparentley fourth place isn't good enough!

Well my view may well be dated.....but it's sad to watch the activity I love evaporate, though at least I know now I can pretty much attend any show as a walk in and have a fine seat on the fifty....I'll have a great vantage point to take in the story and soak in the production without the distraction of a large, wildly cheering crowd. The downturn began long before the economy crapped and I have to admit, I'm in the dark as to all the new activities available to the youth of today that didn't exist say 30 years ago?

What doesn't make sense about the casual fan not being engaged by todays product.......there's no dispute that the stands are, by contrast to decades past, sparsly populated. They must have liked the unrefined impact and power of DRUMS & BUGLES as well as the power and excitement produced in the eclectic age because they came in droves.......long before deep, themed, sophistaced shows became the new standard.....obviously not emoting the same appeal. Todays designers may think they're slick and on the cutting edge...but if you build it and no one comes...you didn't build anything that will serve to sustain the activity.

If it's so much better how come attendance isn't a shadow of what it was in the dark ages? Apparently the casual fans don't beleive it's as good as it once was! Even the bigger shows such as Barnum and Scranton struggle to get half their seats filled. If you had ever witnessed the excitement and electric atmosphere of the Dream, or the aforementioned shows among others, your perspective would no doubt be differant. If you want a better production enhanced by electronics and need help understanding a story with added effect...go to a Broadway show. If you want drum corps...go to a good'ol drum corps show!

This announcement is great news! The Statesmen are the perennial crowd favorite and one of the greatest DCA corps ever. The activity needs more corps...not less!

Sabers certainly upped their program last year. I enjoyed their show. It looks like they're ready to kick it up a few more notches....That's great!....upstate sure needs another quality corps. Best wishes to the Sabers

Jeff.......Thank you for another great review Time & effort very much appreciated!

Big W.........Thanks for all of your reviews this year! I fully appreciate your passion and applaud your willingness to take the time and effort to share your insight....

Have to disagree on your take. If your theory on visual is accurate MB wouldn't be champs... they have a history of too little movement or challenge. Hurcs on the other hand, with their great guard and superior visual package over the last five years, would have recieved more notice. Gotta agree that it's the total package that gets one to the top....Bucs have the total package!

Cabs have an oustanding corps.....but I have to agree with you on one point; Their visual is the weak element (all season) due to numerous brass members who simply don't have the level of fitness to keep the pace...they often stick out, especially as the season progressed. Beyond that, they're back to being the mighty Cabalerros!

My post is representative of comments heard during the program. My concern could be even more directed at DCA. The Hurricanes have been a show sponsor consecutively for over fifty years why wouldn't DCA make certain that another top five corps appear to help the sponsor with a draw. Take the Hurricanes out for the moment and DCA would have had no top five corps in that show. Thank goodness that the Scouts were there but can you imanige what the show would have been like if Cadet 2 and Empire were there. Fans come to expect a fare representation of DCA members when making their choice to attend a show or not. The show sponsor deserves better from DCA. Totally respect the expense side of things as earlier mentioned, but didn't Empire take three busses and a performing group to the DCI's? Wouldn't it have been better to support a DCA sponsor instead? I doubt that this would happen in Scranton.

Because I'm not going to Annapolis and I wanted to see the Scouts I made the trek to Bridgeport. What I saw was two top flight corps and several Class A type units. The show in Reading featured only three solid Open class corps. The crowd in Bridgeport was sparse. I don't know about attendance in Reading but my point is this; does DCA really hope to satisfy and expand a shrinking fan base by scheduling lineups with a limited ability to wow a crowd for an entire evening? Maybe the time has come to run one show at a time and stock them with 4, 5, or 6 corps that will give Joe average fan their money's worth. Attendance seems to have dwindled to only the hard core loyal fans. The large crowd at the Barnum Festival supports the argument....if there is one. Why was C2 and the Statesmen sitting home? Aren't they part of the circuit? I know DCA won't respond so does anyone else have a thought on this?

Tough compitition is good!.....DCA is going to be great this year. BTW thanks for a your reviews....Great writing, honest, fair & objective. I wish we could have such perspective for every show.....Well done!

I hope you mean BIG things going on as opposed to bad things.......Statesmen have been a power in DCA for so long, it would be difficult to imagine seeing a big show without Bruni & Co. tearing down the house! Best wishes...

My "thoughts "say this fellow harbors a distain for the Hurcs or a bias favoring C2.

Bucs 91.5 Cabs 87.0 Sabers 72.5 Sun 70.5 Bush 70.0 Excelsior 65

You're joking, right?