palmettomello

I have personally had this SOS theme in my back pocket for a few years as an indoor percussion show and think that the ABBA tune would make for a very fun <limited> front ensemble feature. Just IMO

Was still hoping for some ABBA SOS, but digging the music rep! I'm sure Salvation is Created with be magnificent.

Anyone know if they will be keeping the deep purple jackets from last year and adding a new bib/pants and undershirt? I LOVED the grey and purple together. However, I found that headgear to be a bit absurd. Definitely hope they keep wearing a shako and don't ditch them like other corps!

Any word on when they will announce the repertoire beyond the artists/composers?

Being an East coaster- not usually not a big fan of blue devils, BUT, this show looks to be very intriguing. Really digging this concept and excited to see what their design staff produces. Seeing Carole King on the repertoire has me drooling.

Potential show announcement at 5pm today?!?

Fantasia Winterguard used this as their soundtrack for their 2004 program "Vanishing Act," which is definitely one of the most moving WGI performances I have ever seen and up there for one of my favorite shows. The back half of this piece would make for a stunning ballad. Really hope this is what they end up using from Lou Reed, but then again who wouldn't like to see "Walk on the Wild Side" on the field!

Reminds me of the Shakespeare image that was featured on the back of the guard costumes from 2016, will be interesting to see how Ms. Monroe fits into this year's production.

1996 A Defiant Heart: classic PR 2003 Harmonic Journey: who hasn't blasted this in your car? 2006 Faust: tied with 2010 as all time PR favorite. Love the story, the music, just everything about this program. Might be the minority here, but I prefer this over The Machine from that year. 2010 Into the Light: tied with 2006 as all time PR favorite. Not the standard PR repertoire, but jeez this show just oozes with emotion. Loved seeing this show develop over summer tour, culminating with the intro in the tunnel at Indy- sheer perfection. 2011 Juliet: classic story, gorgeous music, bada** corps and beautiful guard. Really hope that PR returns to the stylistic approach of some of the shows above. Haven't been the biggest fan of their program design for quite a few years lately. Pulling for a return of a really strong phantom.

I have been toying around with the concept of an indoor percussion show called SOS. Loosely based around shipwrecks and then crossing over to a more generalized use of SOS when someone is asking/needing help, with the ABBA song as a feature for the boards and the Rhianna SOS as a more upbeat and modern part. Very interested in seeing how BAC plays out this show concept.

Could we be so lucky as to hear some ABBA on the field this summer?

1. 2010 Metropolis (Loved any chance I could to see them on tour that year, a very fresh program and incredible music!) 2. 2005 Caravan 3. 2014 Tilt 4. 2007 Criminal TIE for 5th: 2006 Connexus and 2016 Downside Up

One of my friends is in New Orleans for Mardi Gras and was posting snapchats of the Parade. They don't know anything about the marching arts, but they ended up catching the Madison Scouts alumni corps. I immediately recognized the classic Scout's uniforms of the late 90's. That would be a fun trip for adults and always great publicity for drum corps! Don't think we will be seeing the men of Madison wearing anything close to those iconic uniforms anymore, but definitely interested to see what they field this summer. http://www.madisonscouts.org/2018/02/scouts-alumni-march-krewe-orpheus-mardi-gras-parade/

2007, loved As if we Never Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard that year. Fantastic selection for their closer!

I marched in 2010, watching shows develop throughout the summer was great. Some amazing productions that year: Bluecoats with Metropolis was probably my favorite to catch throughout the summer, such an awesome show, so different than most things on the field around that time. Really pushed Coats into that upper echelon. Phantom had my second favorite that summer with Into the Light, such emotion and power from that music book. Wish phantom's programming could revisit this style. Not always a fan of BD, but this show was one that really got to me. They deserved the Gold. Crown with A Se2ond Chance had spectacular music and I really enjoyed the program, despite it being a Part II show. Cavie's Mad World was the last program from the green machine that I really loved. Crusader's Thy Kingdom Come was some great program design. Loved the source music of Glassmen that year too, The Prayer Cycle. Others that were enjoyable to catch throughout the summer: SCV, SOA, and Teal Sound

2002, I'm a sucker for Profanation and Make Our Garden Grow

Sensemaya was also used by Crown in 2009 and Round Rock HS this past fall for their Maze show. Very fun piece of music!

I haven't watched that many Magic of Orlando shows but I just watched this one for the first time and WOW, I couldn't agree with this statement more!

"I Vow to Thee, My Country" by Holst, famously played for Winston Churchill's funeral. I think that this would do really well on the field.

Rosie Queen heads Carmel High School's guard program, winning numerous WGI Scholastic World titles and, IMO, fields the best colorguard in BOA. She has not been teaching in DCI for a few years last I heard, but I know in the past she was Caption Head at Crown and involved at Pride of Cincinnati for quite sometime. I recently saw that she was announced as a "Guard Advisor" for Bluecoats. This is a great pick up for them. Does Jeff Sacktig and Leon May work with any other groups? Is Jay Bocook arranging for anyone in DCI since departing with The Cadets? I know he still writes for a number of high schools. Sorry again, too lazy to search through corps pages, their personal websites, archived news updates, etc.

I always like to see what design team members, program coordinators, drill writers, etc. put together outside their DCI productions. From BOA, winter guards, indoor drumline, to other artistic endeavors. In addition to their previous work in drum corps, it gives me a little more of what to expect in the summer while waiting on the corp's show announcement. A well known example is Michael Shapiro at Tarpon Spring's marching band and winterguard and also designing for the Blue Stars. His style is easily identifiable with both groups and has put together some really enjoyable programs over the years. Where else is everyone coming from and what groups are they working with currently or previously? I always thought it was interesting to follow a drill designer's work from BOA to DCI or from one corps to another. I know a lot of DCI design teams come from a mixture of areas from around the country. Honestly, I'm too lazy to look up staff bio's. What characterizes their work and makes it unique? Personal question coming from the east coast, where do the people from Texas BOA powerhouse bands go in the summer?

1. SCV: momentum is there and they are hungry for another championship. I will admit, when I heard last year's show announcement, I was a little let down. From the description, I didn't think that it would have the potential to place in the top 3. Boy was I wrong. Another well designed program and I see the title going back to the 'other' west coast corps. 2. BD: because it is BD. 3. Crown: Yes, their show wasn't that popular last year with fans. Nonetheless, they draw huge talent every year in all captions. Design team has had a year to mesh and think of something magnificent to put on the field. Can't remember, but I believe a large number of vets are returning. Don't see them falling out of the top 4. 4/5 Bluecoats: Wanting to get back to the top. Some nice additions to staff to try and pull them up the ranks. Give it a little more time. Tilt and Downside up are possibly some of the best use of props in the marching arts, IMO. Last year's catwalk was a great idea but didn't quite have the sparkle. 4/5 Boston: Always loved them, glad they are now placing back in the top 6. Give it a few more years and possibly in medal contention? Could honestly see them topping coats with that design team and guard that is on FIYAH. 6. Cavaliers: I think coats and crusaders will have a more polished product in the end to beat them. Could also see them 4th again. <4/5/6 is a toss up to show design, I think they all pull similar talent.> 7. Cadets: really miss seeing them in the top echelon. I enjoyed MASS but I know others didn't at all. Programming needs to be stronger. Visually, they need to be more concise and explicit in what they are trying to portray. Another building year for them but they will be back I'm sure. 8. Phantom: picking up some nice Brass staff. Hope to see a fresh show design from them. A little bored with what they have put on the field as of late. 2006 to 2011 (sans 2009) are some of the best products PR has ever fielded. Give me something new to drool over! Even something like 2010 that isn't found in the classical repertoire (controversial with alumni I know but one of my PR favorites). 9. Blue Stars: Pending what they put together. Past couple of years, I think they try to include too much into a program and it gets a little cluttered. Known for guard changing costumes and difficult work, let the design breathe and speak for itself. 10. BK: lost some strong staff. Personally, not a huge fan of their style they have developed. I enjoyed the dark and ominous productions of the mid to late 2000's more. But I can always enjoy an entertaining BK show. 11. Xmen: pulling that strong TX talent and putting together fan friendly shows. 12. Madison: what will they wear next?

Very interested to see what the design team fields this year. Hopefully something a little stronger and more towards the "Crown identity" since the staff was together over the summer. Even more excited to see CC vs BC play out over the season.

1. 2009 Probably my favorite drum corps show of all time. <SNL Stefon> This show had everything (including a didgeridoo!). Amazing music and drill. Told a story with out gaudy voiceovers, the music and visuals spoke for themselves and guided us through the almost 'wizard of oz' type story. I thought the use of green and cream was one of the most unique color schemes ever fielded. Seeing that "tinker bell" was disguised as a marching member and her reveal is probably the only time I was truly surprised by something happening on the field. Can't say enough about how perfect this show was. 2. 2008 First crack in the top 5. Probably the only "cut and paste" show I have ever liked. Intro with candide into that first impact, yowza. 3. 2012 Fantastic, but wish they would have put a little more color on the field. 4. 2015 Inferno was great, perfect program design. 5. 2006 This was the first year I really started following drum corps and I fell in love with this show. The music is fantastic. I would really like to hear them or someone else revisit some of the source music. Sure, execution wasn't as high as we know them today. That drill is beastly and included some very, umm, interesting drill sets. I encourage everyone that hasn't watched this show in quite some time to revisit to hear that brass line digging into the music. Yes it is less refined, but yeah can begin to hear the real beginning of that distinct crown sound. Also look for a young Herbert on the flag line, the start of his years 2006-2011! HM's 2010 I love love loved the Mahler and Danzon No. 2! I enjoyed this show much more than others. Sadly, the last year they really fielded the cream team. 2016 That guard and the music! 1999+2000: The start of something special. Jekyll and Hyde and The Mask of Zorro featured some great tunes. Also those guards were way above the rest of the corps. Didn't 1999 finish like 6th while the rest of the corps finished around their final placement of 11-12th? Edit: Yes, 2007 and 2013 are quite good. I just don't go back and rewatch them as much as I do for the shows listed above. Less than favorite: 2011 and 2014