Sideways

Sorry, I should have specified more clearly. At least here in Michigan that seems to be a problem. Our circuit, MCBA, uses BOA sheets.

Maybe they'll call this installment: Behind the Green Door. ^0^

The big complaint on BOA sheets is that you rarely get a field judge whose expertise is percussion. On the other hand, at least in Michigan we get a fair number of music GE judges who have a background in percussion. That and we have a couple visual judges that wouldn't be able to tell the butt of a rifle from their own.... but I will leave that rant for another day.

A Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, and Madison Scouts top three would be a sweet thing.

Thanks for the info Mike. It's always nice to have a better basis for comparison. I would agree that BOA isn't really a "circuit" in the sense of the other two you mention. The very nature of BOA seems to attract the best from local and regional circuits.

You've got me no where. Please do tell me how you think so. I was breaking down the numbers on the music sheets to emphasize a point that drumming for the sake of drumming is not rewarded in BOA. And rag on about the props and all the artsy stuff that happens in BOA all you want. The bottom line is if you don't play or march well, it doesn't matter what props you have on the field, it becomes that much more difficult to sell you're show and the GE just isn't there. ##### about GE being 60% but it still boils down to how well you play and march.

Before MCBA (Michigan's band circuit) went to BOA sheets there was a caption strictly for percussion. The caption, over time, had evolved into basically just a "percussion" caption with very limited attention to how the percussion fit with the rest of the ensemble. So some groups would come out with just and incredible battery and get dinged a bit in the ensemble and ge sheets but would completely "stomp" everyone in the percussion sheets and more than make up for the spread in the ensemble and ge captions. I do not blame these groups at all for doing that. They understood the sheets well and used them to their advantage. There was one band back in the mid 90s that did a Les Mis. show where it seemed like the battery was throwing down everything they could, plus the kitchen sink, for the entire show. Sure they scored incredible in percussion but to the rest of the show it added nothing (completely detracted if you ask me). The move to the BOA sheets forced many bands to adjust to more balanced and creative approach their show design. The sheets forces bands to play as complete ensembles. Whether or not the sheets favor bands that have more creative staffs and desingers over bands that just go out and play and march well is another debate all together. But I cannot argue about what I hear on the field now versus under the old system.

It's a sad commentary that percussion is judged upon how musically and proficiently they play? Not releasing the final scores was a one time deal that BOA tried and they did catch quite a bit of flack for that.

There is no percussion sheet in BOA. It is a 50 point subcaption on the musical individual sheet (total 200 points). And that sheet gets averaged with the music ensemble sheet for a total of 20 pts added to the raw score. So having a dominant drumline, while it will help, is not critical in BOA. Playing musically and proficiently if of greater importance. If I am not mistaken Tarpon Springs does not even put out a marching battery and yet do very well whenever they attend nationals.

Just got the dvd for '88 today. Wow, was Suncoast out of place and out of time. Move that show forward 10-15 years and it would fit right in. Besides being so far out there concept wise the only thing I could really see holding their placement back was how dirty the drill was. Wonderful show though. Question though about Star, is it just me or did their score and placement seem VERY underrated?

"respectful and mature level" - You don't spend much time in the bored forum do you?

http://www.lakeshoremen.org

You would be surprised just how many top BOA bands have $500,000+ budgets.

Done that. Sometime you just have to call a spade a spade.

1986 Suncoast Sound - Spirit of Atlanta - Madison Scouts

Does anyone make a distinction between the slightly elongated shakos that the Cadets wear and the standard type. Or all they both considered "shakos?"

Will we get to hear Variations On an Irish Drinking Song this summer?

Too tired to write about it now, but I will try and recap it tomorrow.

Anyone marching with Magic in '99 will easily remember the Pittsfield Massacre.

Ok, I couldn't stand it any longer. I just went to dci.org and order the 1988 dvd.

Phantom 96 SCV 99 Star 93

That's what you get for messing with a troll.

Everydays in Florida suck.

Trust me, they still hold camps up north.

I know there are a few of our brass players interested in trying out in addition to the drummers that went out last summer.