dstemet

Yea Teal! They have over 20 members with the stomach flu. My daughter described it as members randomly running off the field and throwing up and then coming back on the field at rehearsal this morning. They all wanted to perform today so badly. Proud that they could get out there and do it!

Congrats to Ian of Teal Sound - great job on the National Anthem - - a first for DCI!! Electric Violin.

I don't know what the problem is. I took a MacBook Pro out of the box, plugged it into my TV and I am watching. No preference changes, no video adjustments. It just works, of course you have to have a cable - but I think you have to on any computer. Now I tried with my Dell and no luck - way to many things to buy to make it work and then I have to configure.

Color Guard feet. (Niki is my daughter and a dancer - most color guards annoy her a great deal with their inability to point their feet when they should - she was thanking BD for doing so:)

Great seat on the 50 in the press box. I will try to post pics as we go

I will be in the press box posting updates and pics. It's going to be a great show!

Anyone know how many people the front side of this stadium holds?

That's because that's not how it works. When you run a show (and my wife does) you get a contract from DCI for the number of corps that were scheduled (way back in October I believe) for your show. In other words, the corps that signed up for your show. We have had shows with as few as 4 world class corps and as many as 8. We pay per corps whatever the rate is for that year. (Our contract this year is for around $25,000 and we have 7 World and 1 Open corps) There have been years when we have asked for another corps to make a bigger show, and then if one is found that can do it, we pay a bigger contract. Also the contract is not the sum total of the cost to run a show - that does not include stadium rental, marketing, housing etc. It is a very expensive endeavor that most show directors do for the love of the activity.

Yes!

I didn't think that you had seen them yet this year as Chuck has done a masterful job of integration of the violin and EWI. (And they are not in the whole show btw, the violinist is also a field conductor and the EWI musician is in the pit) Not a moment of "electronics for electronics sake". Let me know what you think after you see them! name='bawker' timestamp='1309038372' post='3016761'] No, I sure wasn't. I was just speaking in general for the past few years . . as I said, I'm ready to be proven wrong: if not this year, then maybe the next. I look forward to seeing them later in the year.

Bawker: were you in Martin or Muncie?

Well you are going to be eating one hell of a lot of hot dogs as pretty much EVERY corps has a woodwind, string, vocal or guitar sound(s) in their show. Most choose to have fake sounds (not actual musicians of those instruments) played on a synth. Teal chooses to have an actual violinist and EWI player. And by the way, it is awesome. And if you have a problem with recorded singing throughout shows you might want to stay away from the TOC corps.

Music city performed their whole show at a standstill and the did the opener again with full visual. Love the music. Tons of potential. Teal Sound missing shakis and no guard Unis yet. Much bigger corps and more mature talent. Much more movement and integration this year. Only did first nine minutes They don't have a rock band up front but do use very effectively and sparingly an electric bass, electric violin and an Ewi. Spirit in my opinion has a more entertaining show than last year. Nice brass sound and what I think will be some great hits. I like the use of the electric upright bass. 3 corps to go.

I think having the corps do PR the week of championships is a great idea. I think every corps entered should do an exhibition during this period. I think the impact of over thirty full uniform standstills in town squares and shopping malls throughout the Indy area would be a great promotion. Each corps could work with DCI and their local hosts to make it effective and convenient for the corps and the community. It would Also allow for a more personal connection to potential audience in a much wider market distribution. Just a thought.

Well I am glad to see that DCI is picking up the travel tab for these corps. It would have been a shame for them to pay to be in the parade

Ah - I just had a better idea - How about a parade on Sunday for the finalists corps? They could call it the POC, or parade of champions. I'm sure all 12 corps would just be thrilled to do that. You know marketing for the next year.... (sarcasm)

I don't remember there ever being a parade on finals day. (please tell me if that happened, where and when) They used to have parades on the Wednesday before quarterfinals and many corps participated. I remember seeing them in Kansas City, Madison and Orlando (Disney-Epcot) but I can't remember one on Saturday of finals. I do not think this is a great plan. If it were on Wednesday then maybe it might get a few people to purchase tickets for Thursday (when you can get a ticket for $20) or Friday (when they are a little more), but I can't imagine anyone purchasing tickets for Saturday (cheapest are $42.50 I believe) after seeing a parade. Can you really see a family of 4 watching the parade and then saying "hey let's go buy $170 worth of tickets to sit in the end zone and watch these bands?" If you have ever spent $170 on a whim after seeing some promotion advertising another activity that evening, that you had no previous knowledge of, as a marketing professional, I want to know what it was. All corps have their rituals of what they do on finals day - for corps not in finals as well as those that are. Corps breakfasts, age out ceremonies, of course check in and clean up etc., a parade is not going to be easy to do for these corps. Not to mention the DCI staff/volunteers who are already overworked all week - now they have to work a parade? Also from what I understand the corps are not being paid for this parade, so more expense for them. They have to bus in one more time (a lot of corps are an hour or more away) as I would guess they will want to return to their housing after so they can shower and do check in and clean up before attending finals, or hitting the road for home. In my opinion this is just not very well thought out. I feel really bad for the kids in the corps that have to do this. They do not want the last time they wear their uniform and perform together to be a parade.... They want to leave it all on the field... but then maybe no one really cares about the non-finalists.

(edited because my I hit the wrong thing on my itouch) Hopefully they won't get booed, because hopefully there won't be any drunken idiots there like last year. But I'm not holding my breath.

I have read through this thread and I believe some of you are under the impression that semis will have 17 corps. The format has changed for next year - semis will have 25 corps. There is no break at the 17 mark. All corps (world and open) can enter prelims on Thursday - and then the top 25 moves on to Friday and top 12 to Saturday. Below is the explanation from DCI (back in November) Corps not in finals will be shooting for top 15 - to make the Theatre broadcast. "With a new format for the World Championships announced this September, all Open Class corps will be invited to Indianapolis to perform as part of the World Championship Prelims on Thursday, Aug. 11 at Lucas Oil Stadium. All World and Open Class corps will be on equal footing in a head-to-head competition that will run throughout the entire day. “Open Class corps have enjoyed Michigan City hospitality since we first brought the Championships there in 2008. It's a drum corps town. The stadium is perfect for this new format and creates a genuine championship atmosphere for our corps,” said Open Class Coordinator David Eddleman. “And then, for Open Class corps to have the opportunity to compete in the World Championship Prelims on Thursday in Indianapolis, the week just keeps getting more exciting for both the corps members and the audience.” The top 25 corps after the Prelims will advance to Friday’s Semifinals in Indy ending with a special exhibition performance by Dutch corps Jubal, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2011. The top 12 corps from this grouping will compete for the World Championship title Saturday, Aug. 13."

Teal used a guitar, Cavies used a synthesizer to imitate a guitar. If you are a guitar player there is a difference, just like there is a difference if you play tuba or you play synthesizer to sound like a tuba. Doug Stemet Crossmen Soprano and Staff member waayyy back. Teal Parent - Today.

"Sound Board Placement Each corps may use a sound board. Placement and operator may be anywhere on the “flat surface” of the arena, including outside of the competition boundaries up to the grand stands. An engineer may be in press box or high stands and will work with contest coordinator for best placement." Bolded part is the part on topic of whether or not show promoters should know about providing a place for sound engineer. And if we were to provide a place for one - it would be logical to assume it was to function as a sound engineer by communicating with the field engineer. At our shows the corps engineers that I saw doing it were on cell phones. So that also goes to the point about it not being legal. Clearly we were to provide a place for it to happen per DCI.

FYI - I am the coordinator of 2 shows in Kansas. As such I receive information from DCI on all aspects of running our show according to current DCI rules. This is information that I received prior to this years shows. "Sound Board Placement Each corps may use a sound board. Placement and operator may be anywhere on the “flat surface” of the arena, including outside of the competition boundaries up to the grand stands. An engineer may be in press box or high stands and will work with contest coordinator for best placement." If the show promoters you talked to didn't know anything about this - then they didn't read their information. Denita Stemet Show coordinator of Wichita, KS and Hutchinson, KS shows.

This is exciting news! I think this deserves its own forum topic.