kiltiekemo

Let's take the "way back" machine Mr. Peabody. 70 Madison Velvet Knights any year 87 Bluecoats

Kurt, LakeShoremen are very interested in being part of the new DCA-CENTRAL. We'll be talking to you officially ASAP. We are looking at South Milwaukee reallllll close. Kemo

Class A was THE surprise of 2005. A lot of competitive corps and plenty of room for improvement. Bye the way...don't count out LAKESHOREMEN. Responses to the season have been fantastic. Look for even more of what we brought out east next year. Can you say...top 3??? ^0^

My first exposure to Rochester for drum corps was DCA 1975 at the old Hollender Stadium. Great memories. Great show. (go Sky) Went back with Kilts in 96 and 97 for the St. Joes standstill. Nothing but good. Remember this town KNOWS drum corps. Lets all go out and make it a weekend for the history books. Lookin foward to being there with Lakeshoremen and going a little higher next year. See everyone there. B)

How about Ohio Brass Factory? Except this time we could play a real drum corps show. Great talent, experience but needed a little help in show design. No slam on anyone but compared the East back then we could have used some "old time religion" with our shows.

Jeff...for us to EVEN be mentioned in the same sentence as WestShore is a compliment. I had the honor to compete against "Shore" back in 81,82,83 when I marched in Brass Factory. Great Corps! For us it coming to DCA was just supposed to be making an "appearance" but instead we made an impression. Thank you DCA and all the our brother corps for making us feel welcome. Can't wait till next year.

As I have said before in earlier post that I have NEVER been so proud to be a Kiltie as when you took the field the second time. The class shown by other corps for the rest of the weekend made me proud to be a "senior". From that moment on every single time I listen, watch or even think of the Kilties I will remember Lothar. May God bless his soul and keep the Kilts in His heart. WWBD. p.s. JC...your tribute to Joel was your best write up EVER. My heart is with you and my brother Kilts. When I think of Joel now I keep hearing us play Loch Lomond at our Alumni show in 97. Lothar has taken the "High" road. Later.

I was in the stands Saturday night with another ex-Kiltie Alan (Aldo) Cunningham and my family when Joel went down. At first we thought that he had just tripped and fell. But it became painfully clear that it was serious very fast. We sat there dumb founded and in shock. We are still in shock today. We left yesterday morning and missed finals because we just did not have our hearts in it after what happened. That the Kilties decided to return and march their show (it was a 100% vote by the corps) was one for the history books. It was one VERY VERY emotional show. We cried thru most of it. I won't comment on the score they received because after what happended to Lothar it just wasn't important. Aldo and I stayed up till around 3:00am this morning listening to that show and remembering Joel. I don't think we'll ever listen to the Kilties again without thinking of Lothar. I know that he's marching in the perfect corps now and that his Kilt will fit in with every other great uniform that's being worn on that big field in the sky. Lothar will be greatly missed by all of us Michigan "trolls" that have marched with him over the years. WWBD!!!

I really like all of the comments in this thread but.......wasn't the original post about "who the average DCA fan is?". It seems that most of the response has been about WHERE DCA should or should not be held. With the very recent and very aggressive growth that other "regions" have had I understand that "it's not your grandma's DCA anymore" and that down the road we really need to address a centralized location for the Championship. But what was asked is basically who is the fan base right now. Is it still mostly East Coast, performers and family, or the rest of us has been what to be's? Inquiring minds what to know. Go Seniors!!!

SNIP "Who is the average DCA fan who goes to DCA Finals weekend?" Right On Liz!! Who are we "average" fans. This will be my 12th DCA since 1975. I'm 52...started marching in 68...now marching with my son who is 15...still married to my drum corps babe...marched finals...missed finals...dreamed about WINNING finals...will spend more money on drum corps than any sane person would spend during one weekend and LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT! What makes me feel good about the rest of you is you most likely feel the same way. Bringing a new senior corps to DCA this year from MI and can't wait to be part of the Greatest Show On Earth. Seeya at Scanton. b**bs

We are!!! It's better to be a wall flower at the big dance than standing out in the parking lot wishing you had a date. Seeya'll at Scranton. B)

As I understand it right now...16 Open class, 10 Class A and that's NOT counting the mini or alumni corps. Pretty Cool! Just think if ALL the senior corps could come to DCA. They'd have to lock the town down or declare a state of emergency. Yahoo!

I too am an old dinosaur. And I agree 1000% with Nik about keeping some of our heritage alive. It just seems that every year corps is becoming more and more bandlike. #### I played in band and my son does now. But both of us love drum corps for being corps and NOT band. The corps we're with right now has staff that constantly refer to our sops and contras as tumpets and tubas which drive me CRAZY. So much that I have to respond everytime by commenting to call them by their proper names which drives the staff to correct themselves lest they inccur the wrath of a old, cranky, crazy DINOSAUR!!! Besides I'll just take my toy home and won't play nice anymore. b**bs

Hey Frankie, I felt the same thing about our 2001 show was great. I was bummed that we didn't score better or place higher but overall a great show and I retired from marching Kilts AT prelims. Or so I thought. Now I'm back marching senior corps with my son in LakeShoremen and here we go again. AAAAAGH. seeya around!

It's funny that most of the references to what GREAT corps is seems to be centered around the "90's" and the idea that the audience has to be schooled. I believe that ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT is what makes drum corps cool. I don't care if the show was in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's or NOW. Every decade had corps shows that were putting across a performance that just floored the crowd. You don't have to know the music, predict the drill move or count how many flammadiddles in a row the drumline played to enjoy the show. But you do have to like the show enough to say wow that was cool. But it does seem as if the show designers are more interested in getting their "theme" across to the judges rather than get the crowd tapping their feet or humming whatever tune was played by a corps. Are there still corps that get ya to say WOW? Yes, but out of the top 12 it used to be at least 10 now it seems like only 1 or 2. The main thing is if a corps can't do the basics (stay in step with the music, flag work with the music, horn angles etc) who cares about the overall "theme" of the show. Why is it that the U.S. Marine D&B can put on a show that gets standing ovations EVERY SINGLE SHOW and not have to run a million miles a hour or play off the wall music? If drum corps as a whole can understand that question than Drum Corps will return to Glory. Nuff said.

Hey Bob! I'll crack one to drink and one to put on my tired old knees. My question is ... will these young whipper snappers still be marching corps 30 years from now like we are? B)

My vote would go to the Kilties Junior as well. When you went to a show with your corps and saw all the kilts in a long straight line headed for the stadium you just kinda thought...well second place is nice too!

How about...I aged out in 74. My son was born in 90 and now we both march together in LakeShoremen Senior corps. He saw an old picture of my junior corps and asked..."you had color pictures back then?" Where's my wheelchair???

I would think that there are enough members in RA that could put together a 21 man unit to perform some "classic" tunes. And remember mini-corps can just stand still and PLAY!!! #### I might even think of making the trip from Detroit to Chicago to do that and wear the Big Blue uni. And I'm in the over 40 crowd. Go Blue. B)

It's a mellophone. Look at the mouthpiece. The rim is way to wide for a frenchie. B)

Now I know who to track down and beat with stick!!! LOL. Seeya at the next camp. B)

Yes Brent! The One and Only Kemo! The only drum corps god who can't walk on water. I remember 2001 and you buddy. You might be able to get a copy of the old 8&I if ya talk nice to me. LOL. Drop me a line at kiltiekemo@aol.com WWBD

Hot D***!!! I have all the Eigth & I recordings on CD. I even have some 66 and 67 stuff. The news that there's a NEW recording out is (as we used to say in the Corps) OUTSTANDING!!! I saw them last year at DCM and they lit the place up. It just shows ya that you don't have to dance, run or "emote" to get across to the audience. Great News and I'm already making a call to Marine Barracks right now. Semper Fi!

Without a doubt we were the Original Bad Boys of Detroit before the Pistons!

Legend had it when the junior corps I marched with (Wyadotte Royal Lancers) went to 65 or 66 VFW State they stayed at a hotel instead of a school gym. After finals later that evening the corps put as many members in the elevator as possible and proceeded to mark time. HIGH MARK TIME. Boom the elevator becomes stuck and the corps left thru the emergancy exit and went outside to see what else they could do for entertainment. It just so happened that there was a water fountain in the town square across from the hotel and a grocery store across from that. After the corps "obtained" some dish soap, detergient and other items the fountain was soon bubbling over with mamouth soap suds. Well the local cops soon arrived to find the corps jumping up and down around the fountain. Whe asked who did the damage the cops found themselves in the fountain. Anyway more cops came and soon the corps was lined up on the street in a company front waiting for the corps manager to show up and take responsibility. It was not a fun ride home after being escorted out of town with a police escort and a standing ban on the corps to this day. ^0^