jazzman334

Ran across this video in YouTube tonight. Like ice running down my back. Spooky............

My long-departed grandfather once told me, "there's book-smart, and there's walkin'-around smart. Don't ever think that one makes you the other." Here, those who keep insisting that DCI doesn't have the legal authority to do A, B or C - don't assume for a minute that at the end of the day, they can't somehow make YEA! agree to just about any darned thing they want to - IF they want it done badly enough. Just because they don't have the "right" to do it doesn't mean they can't get it done.

Dr. Mickey, I'm with you as to my first exposure to drum corps, and also to my level of involvement, and also to my attitude toward the recent trends in show design. However, I'm HOPING Cadets field a corps this year, and if they do, I will be in line to buy tickets to finals, just to cheer them on !

Yeah, I need two now, since the wife decided to go with me after all. thx

PM'ing you re: Friday tickets.

Only now I need TWO for semis (Mama changed her mind !!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Let me know. Thanks !

Well, that's sort of in line with the time frame that was rolling around in my head.... Don't suppose you have any insights into the whereabouts of a recording of that show ?? and better yet - who arranged the SSB for the corps ????

Checked it out - nothing looks right. I'll keep looking. Looks like I'm gonna be relying on somebody else's foggy memory !!! Thanks for the suggestion !

Julian, I do believe many people will read your letter as a "bash Blue Devils" letter. However, my sense is that your feelings mirror mine - except I've been watching drum corps for 36 years now. BD are just the most visible and well-known symbol of the morphing of drum corps from the "brass, percussion and drill" activity you referenced, to some sort of "multi-faceted, multi-dimensional, ethereal artistic collage".....and, oh yes, we still keep those brass and percussion instruments that our grandparents used back in the olden days....but only because we have to. Before seeing the tour show at Murfreesboro this year, I had been cautiously optimistic the last few years -- optimistic that a few more corps were actually taking their audience appeal into account. Sadly, not only does that NOT seem to be the case (with the blatant exception of Madison and Surf !), things appear to be regressing. You put it very well when you said that if you want to see all these genres together in one place (which is not often), you can see it elsewhere for a whole lot less money. I agree wholeheartedly. I fear that the elitists in this activity are driving away the fans who made it great. I am sorry, truly sorry, and I am going to miss drum corps. But I am finished. After 36 years, I am finished for good.

Second PM sent.

Travel - recommend you look on Craigslist for at least a ride out to Indy. You could always bus back. (Get your parents to help screen the possibilities. Lots of wackos out there.) Room/board: a friend's daughter just got done "couch-surfing" across the entire nation; never paid for a room one night. I don't know the forums, etc., but it's out there, and there's a large community of younger folks in Indy and surrounding. I'm sure you can find one that will put you up. Good luck !

PM sent.

I have four tickets to Saturday night's Serenade In Brass in Harrisburg. I am unfortunately unable to travel from Ohio this weekend to see the final SIB ever. The tickets are in Section 101, Row H, Seats 1-4. Face value was $20 each. Selling for face OBO. If I can get these mailed out tomorrow one-day delivery, they will be to your location in plenty of time. PayPal preferred. Thanks !

It's quite sad for me to see all the turmoil in Marion. It was the Marion Cadets that first introduced me to the world of drum corps. I had graduated from Ohio University in 1975 with a Bachelors in Music Ed, but really had next to no exposure to d&bc at all. It wasn't widely known in the Central Ohio area yet, despite Marion being just north of there. Corps were much more of a "niche" thing back then, as opposed to today. Anyway, I was at the 1975 4th of July parade in Marysville, Ohio, just northwest of Columbus. My girlfriend (now my wife of 32 years in June !) had just moved there to be the choir director at Fairbanks Local, just south of Marysville. We were watching the parade when I heard a really kickin' percussion section coming from around the corner. I knew it was dommmm strong, but I had clue who or what it was. Then about a block away the Marion Cadets kicked off "Conquest", a jazzy 2/2 arrangement. The sound they produced just blew me away. I instantly became a much greater fan of the activity than I was already, and got to go to a few U.S. Open shows in Marion (first time I saw Scouts live - Marion - "Slaughter on 10th Avenue" !!!!), but the big thrill was to go to DCI Finals in Denver in '78. Talk about all the biggies in one place !!!! After spending a few years in a band job, I got out of teaching, but I stayed a drum corps fan for (most of) the next 30 years, except for the period in the '90's where I got so disgusted with the lack of "entertainment component" (call me a throwback - I really couldn't care). I guess that's why my favorite corps were historically the Bridgemen, VK, and (older) Madison. They always seemed to place the audience first, not their own artistic sensibilities, or those of the staff. I also got the chance to live a drum corps fan's dream when I went to Bayonne in 2006 to try to fill a 4th bari spot for the Bridgemen Alumni Corps. Altho I had tons of band experience, I'd never put a foot on a field with a corps, but it really turned out great. The staff and members were (and are) great, and the thrill of coming down the hill in the yellow coat, in the first Bridgemen appearance in 19 years .....well, I still get short of breath just thinking about it ! After years of watching it, things finally came full circle. Anyway, point is, Marion has a proud and storied history, and I really, really hate to see things reach the point they have. Hopefully, things can get turned around and they can start providing the kids something again.

"84chief" tried to message me, but no message was there. EM me at docachna33DIESPAMMERSCUM(replace the CAPS with the "at" sign)sbcglobal.net

Greetings to all in the drum corps activity, from a former H.S. band director and long-time drum corps fan (hey, I actually saw the Bridgemen in Mile High Stadium........####, yes, I'm old !!!! ). I have a 2-bedroom timeshare condominium in Orlando which I am offering for rent during DCI Nationals this summer. It is located at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club, 6924 Grand Vacations Way, Orlando. The resort is located just minutes from the Florida Citrus Bowl. The Hilton Resort organization's Web page is http://www.hgvc.com. You can also find information on the Orlando resort itself by going to http://www.rci.com, click on "Resort Directory" on the left side of the page, scroll down to "Search by Resort", choose "By Resort ID", enter "3517", and click "Search". A map to the resort is available on the Web page. The condo is available for check-in on Sunday, August 3, 2003, after 4:00 p.m.. Checkout is by 10:00 a.m., Sunday, August 10, the day after finals. It sleeps 8, with privacy for 6, and has 1 king, 1 queen, 1 queen sleep sofa, and 1 full sleep sofa; 2 baths; multiple TV's; VCR; washer-dryer; screened balcony; and full kitchen with dishwasher & microwave. All units have a whirlpool tub. The resort has all amenities imaginable, including an on-site lake, pool, children's pool, tennis, exercise equipment, game room, playground, and much, much more. The Orlando Hilton Resort is designated by Resort Condominiums International (RCI) as an RCI Gold Crown Resort, its highest quality award rating. My asking price for 7 nights at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club Orlando is $1,200. Considering the cost of a decent hotel room for 2 in the Orlando area, particularly during finals, I consider getting lodging for 6-8 in a full-size condo like this one at about $175 a night to be very reasonable. Payment will be made by PayPal, Escrow.com, or other mutually suitable online intermediary payment service, or if you are local, in person by certified check or money order. I will supply the buyer all information necessary to properly document the availability of the condo prior to any payments being made. Corps members, please pass this on to your friends, staff, parents, etc. If anyone has any questions of any sort, please ask them to contact me immediately at docachna33@aol.com. If this place is not taken soon by someone associated with a corps (parents, support, relatives, etc.), I will go ahead and make it available to the general corps public. However, I would very much prefer that someone directly associated with a corps have the first opportunity. If you're a corps fan looking for an extremely comfortable place to spend the week watching the shows, and you have a few people to split the cost with, please contact me immediately. If someone with a corps doesn't take it very quickly, it's yours. Best of luck to all in the 2003 season ! Doug Brown Pickerington OH 5-5-03 --- PRICE NOW REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE ---- $1,000.00 !! E-MAIL ME TODAY.....