greg_orangecounty

I love the Troopers and they were a P.I.T.A. to beat BITD. So glad they're still around in 2023.

or worse, cymbals 😞 (PTSD)

For bass drums it was the early 1960's.

I looked at your profile and apparently you're a new fan of the activity? Welcome!!! We need you. Ignore me as I turn into a curmudgeon when this topic comes up. Join either corps. You'll be glad you did for the rest of your life.

And we're off 🙂..... Allowing woodwinds in Drum Corps other than in the context of a pit, will not "save" Drum Corps. It will kill it because then Drum Corps turns into a common marching band and the power and beauty of the all brass ensemble disappears. That's what made Drum Corps unique and special. Adding woodwinds to the field will not lower the skyrocketing cost of housing, food, insurance, transportation, medical care, etc. That is what's harming the prospects of its long term survival - not the absence of woodwinds marching on the field. This may also sound harsh: if a woodwind player wants to march in Drum Corps learn how to play a brass horn (or drum, or guard). I had to in order to march in my chosen corps, and there's nothing stopping anyone else from doing the same except for a sense of entitlement.

There's already a place for woodwinds; either sitting in the stands, or in the context of a pit. That's quite enough.

They did? When? VFW? I'm a Garfield fan and wish them the best, just didn't know this.

Probably the best year of the early DCI era. Finals that night was electric.

It was a wonderful time and life experience. I made many friends that are still dear friends 50 years later. It looks and sounds different, thank goodness, and I hope it survives for the next generation so they can experience the joy of Drum Corps too.

High School Band Directors used to not like Drum Corps at all. Most of the dislike centered on an old stereotype – somewhat based in reality – that all Drum Corps do is BLAST and don’t care about musicianship, or least of all intonation. They didn’t encourage it all. I assume it’s all changed now as I can’t tell the difference between a Drum Corps and marching band except for the presence of (ack!) woodwinds.

The "only" "pervasive cultural-legacy problem" that exists in Drum Corps is in the context of sexual abuse towards marching members, not competition. I don't agree with much of what you say, but I'm glad you speak up especially as a Santa Clara alumna. Wish someone would have 50 years ago.

I only agree with you that some instructors can be "toxic" (abusive?) in their pursuit of performance excellence. That should never happen.

I can only speak for myself but I had a fantastic learning experience in Drum Corps and it was because of competition, not in spite of it. The idea of competition particularly in a creative atmosphere has always been there. If it's not acknowledged we do ourselves and the activity a disservice.

Still can't believe it 😢

I'm not getting any younger so please, PLEASE, Pacific Crest!

I'm not saying anything profound, just that guards had an impact on the scoring sheets and overall perception - good or bad - even though they didn't have their own scoring caption. Your corps and 2-7 are examples of the positive. There is one example (BITD) in which a corp was held back from placing higher - maybe even winning(?) - because their guard was less than pedestrian.

Absolutely. And at the other end of the spectrum there were guards that held corps back from placing higher, and perhaps even winning DCI. I won't name names.

So crazy it took that long. Forget where, but I've seen a list of each "winning color guard" since 1972. Kingsmen guard is listed for 1972. Don't know where they got that from as the only way a guard could make the judging sheet was to drop a piece of equipment. (which the Kingsmen guard never did, btw, as it wasn't allowed 🙂)

I like old-school English riding boots/skirt color guards best because that was my era. Something about rifles doing all the same work in perfect precision, military bearing and snap. And I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE contemporary guards like Boston!!! So incredible, and they do a lot of group work too - not as much individual dancing, which kinda just fades into the back ground for me. Color Guards really haven't gotten the credit they deserve.

Online gambling is legal in California and you can't throw a rock in any direction without hitting a card club or Indian casino, so it amazes me that in 2023 any corps (in CA) can survive on Bingo. The part of your post that I don't doubt is that they're mismanaged to a certain extent. Combine that with the exorbitant cost of living in CA - especially the Bay Area - and this is what happens. Putting a competent (honest?) Board in place won't necessarily solve their woes.

SCV is in the middle of Silicon Valley. There's gotta be an alum out there who made it big in the tech world willing to help them. Yes, I know a vast majority are not local today, I'm talking about over the course of the past 50 years when many were. No?

There was a Drum Corps named the "Chocolatiers"....!? LOL. How did I not know this? Wow. That's awesome. The west coast doesn't have nearly as rich a legacy as the east in terms of senior corps.

I ❤️ linear drill!! Those girls are awesome and they look familiar. I think they might have marched in the Rose Parade a year or so ago. That right there is probably the future of Drum Corps (indoor only), but I hope I've exited the planet by the time it happens.

Flutes are wonderful-beautiful sounding instruments and they don't belong on the field in the context of what is traditionally known the past 100 years as "Drum Corps". A little amplified solo in the Pit.................? I..... guess, if you absolutely must. (and before anyone wants to remind me about drum and fife corps of which modern Drum Corps has its roots, yes, I know). Doesn't matter 🙂

Put me in coach!!! After my nap.