xandandl

Psychologists refer to this as the "peasent syndrome" of trying to put oneself up by putting someone else down. I guess ya just can't teach class, despite the My Fair Lady and similar genre. All that being said, it is another thing to embrace the reality of competitive odds whether last year's show was a fluke or the start of a new dynasty. This year will tell.

i started a thread about seating changes at Lucas Oil for the first contest and for prelims at championships. How loud the electronics seem, how the speakers are staged, and other changes in perception for both music and drill make the discussion here also germane. The demands for a such a large stadium funneling the 10K (generous number) spectator into one set of bleachers are not the same as for finals with 20K on several decks high and away. Though the threads are parallel, the discussions aren't mimics or identical. I'll read both.

Garf... I thought you were over in Ada as part of the official Welcome to Ohio committee! Better seats...pshaw! I know that you pretend to be a drumming geek and are obviously hitting the sarcasm button with that statement. Because you are afraid of heights, why should the drill masters be deprived??? Besides we know the visuals will be re-written umpteen times from first contest to finals; we'd like to see and appreciate them all rather than watching the top of the heads of the xylophonists or whatever tin can they are banging this season. :-p

What is your source for this statement?

Perhaps it is an attempt to make the stadium appear fuller to the cinema and FN viewers; perhaps it is because Tom Blair was a Cavalier snare and drummers prefer to sit low to understand stickwork and drum stuff; perhaps it is to save costs with less stadium staff, concession staff, etc. But there will be no “upper deck” seating at Lucas Oil for the June 17th opener and for championship prelims on August 6th. No the change wasn’t in response to “Oprah” tarps or more recent protests by Canadians, Dutch, and other social deconstructionists. It’s printed on the fliers DCI distributed at last year’s championships and has been posted on the web site almost for as long. But there has been no discussion on DCP. While this hearkens back to how corps prepared for Boulder prelims and Denver finals being in different places, it also changes horn angles, positioning of drill sets and forms, and how props are staged or viewed. What will this do to music, perception of echo, and blaring of electronics for each performance? Where will the off-field judges be seated? Upstairs or down with the drum geeks? Will this change benefit some shows and be more difficult for others? Will this mandate a move for those seeking center seating and fuller drill evaluations from higher seats to shell out more monies for their preferences to be among the “Friend$$$ of DCI”??? Why the change this season over the practices of the last several years at Indy? Discuss (nicely.) From the DCI website: Note for Thursday, August 6, 2015 – Prelims: In an effort to assist with stadium logistics and the movie theater broadcast, all Thursday night seating will be in the 400 level or below. Read more: http://www.dci.org/schedule/details.cfm?event=444#ixzz3a2SNF5Hy

La Grande Arche was inaugurated in July 1989, with grand military parades that marked the bicentennial of the French Revolution. You must have spent your time en La Rive Gauche, for Cappybara, it's all made of your cousin, Carrara marble.

For the wannabees, the dinosoars, and those who can't wait for the first show...here's the first week of Spring Training as posted today by the Commissar. https://www.facebook.com/george.hopkins.yea/posts/10152893147986911

For those who have not been to Paris, L'Defense is an office/apartment building not in the center of Paris but a bit north. For the architectural nerds who have been posting: Arc (like horn arc) de Triomphe (triumph, like victory, like a medal, like the best. Savez-vous?

But I hear that Monsieur Warren and the new staff are aiming for the Arc de Triomphe!

Cadets equipment vehicles in place for Spring Training. Those in percussion battery already finished with semester finals and collegiate graduation ceremonies are making a mini-tour of high schools in Eastern states as percussion clinicians, role models, and motivational doers spreading the word. Full corps begins to report. Weather for the week:high of 80, low of 40, no rain until weekend. No snow either. (Sorry, Blue Knights, who had 16 inches of new snow in Greater Denver on May tenth, Mother's Day.)

Calling all Cadet alums, fans, and friends. A most worthy man who really could use the help. I wish I could do much more. http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/index.php/topic/162129-savereide-erik/#entry3435829

Maybe that's why he's only a Nine and not with The Power of Ten! (Cymbal crash! Your choice of Zild. or Paiste.)

and I've always been called a "wind bag." Now you and my urologists are giving me new titles, talents and attributes to include in my skillsets for my resume.

Wasn't that the component for the "This I Believe" show???

Thanks NEB. It's a great resource and I appreciate the time and effort it took to gather it.

Best of luck Boston. May the cool Vermont nights and early mornings be with you, the green flies far from you, and the snow melted enough to leave a great field ready for you to learn a great show for a super anniversary season. (Old Gaelic blessing still sometimes heard in Southie and Dah-chester.)

No a venerable tradition since about 1979 from a woman whose son was not only a member but who grew so much in the corps and the activity that he went on to instruct other corps as well and has made a wonderful career of teaching all year. It's an act of love and thanksgiving.

We definitely have the talented musicians and arrangers who are gifted to compose some wonderful works. But the problem lies in the accessibility of these works to the ticket-buying audience in addition to the very credentialed judges and the music nerds (whether marching members, alumni, instructors, and music majors.) The activity has to embrace all of those mentioned in the previous sentence to remain financially viable and growing as an activity. Mom, Dad and the grandparents have to be entertained too in order to give junior permission to either buy the ticket or join the corps. The say so of the music teacher isn't enough in today's world. While I agree that Mr. Smith and Dr. Saucedo continue to produce wonderful works few have been hummable or whistle-able after the show. Where the MM and drum corps professionals might be excited about 32nd note runs, those paying mortgages, college tuitions, and other bills for these same music nerds must also feel at home with music. It is doable but not easily.

How nice of George to maintain the custom of having move-ins for Spring Training begin annually on my birthday. What a great present. :-)

If you check corpsreps.com, you will learn that seven (7) corps have played this tune in 11 different seasons, most recently 2009. I agree, nick possibilities for a re-arrangement and restaging. But I think it would be better in the Crown book than BD.

In fact maybe three seasons back or so there was an agreement between Directors of World Class corps and judges to do this; it was at the same time that the pre-contest critiques were bandied and post-contest critiques were allowed to be online discussions between instructors and judges. It was to give the judges better awareness of what the designers were attempting and to facilitate easier travel of the judges and corps from shows to shows on weeknights. I am not certain that all of this has still been maintained beyond the show design sheets being sent/given to the judges for familiarity.

The long length of my introductory run-on sentence is almost as long as the length of the whole parade. Media said 10K turned out. Way to go St. Mary's (and 7th Regt.)

It was a rhetorical question. Propensity is that Fiedler like Hopkins likes to be a hands on person not just an armchair executive. His history is as an instructor and designer as well as a CEO reading budget sheets and setting agenda; his credentials including marching baritone, being a DM, teaching visual, teaching guard, writing band shows; he has also judged many band shows. I wasn't present at the design meetings for Machine but did have the occasion of riding Cavies tour buses in years leading up to that show. I know many ideas were speculated but not used, some doable, others just fantasy. it will be interesting to see how much if any overlap arrives in 2015.

No, the organization and the activity for the sake of its members demands excellence. Excellence is a habit not a hit or miss, reserved only for some things. While psychological studies show that performers tend to have difficulty communicating outside of their chosen idiom (dance, art, musical playing compared to writing and verbal skills,) the college entrance scores for DCI MMs rank higher than the usual populace. The administrations of those same corps should shoot for the same excellence in all communication. It is known as RESPECT.

Given Fiedler's propensities and history, will this be left over unused ideas from Cavies' Machine '06?