AlanAndreasen

I am interested to know the last time DCI slapped a penalty on a corps for a warm-up violation. Does anyone know? I understand that finals week is where all the rules come in to play - BUT, I attended several show this year before finals week (7) and at every one I heard corps warming up that were enough to distract me from the corps performing: no penalties were given.

Yep. From about 11 years on up. Everyone is accepted - even if they've never played an instrument before.

My FN just went to black - you?

Blue Devils had a lot of colored cymbals in 1985 in IIRC three colors. You can clearly see some red ones on the FSL. I believe they had 27 (?) of them. Emerald Knights of Cedar Rapids had green ones in 1986.

Topic says it all. Message me if you have some...

This corps is the real deal. I too saw them in Muscatine and took the time to talk with the director and a couple of the brass staff. Firstly, let me say I've not seen a debut (of a lower division corps) like this since Academie Musicale. THEY WERE JAW DROPPINGLY GOOD FOR THEIR FIRST EVER COMPETITION. Were they to compete, there is no doubt in my mind they would place 8-10th in Open Class finals this year. Info I gleaned in conversation: They recruited by simply announcing their intent to form a corps on facebook. Members hail from LA, MS, AR, and TX. They have minimal sponsorship from a few local businesses in Lafayette. The director, Mr. Nick Simon, is about the only administrator. They have had great support from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The horns and battery percussion are being borrowed from the Rajin Cajun marching band. They have the Cajun's old uniforms and get to rehearse using the University's facilities. All the visual staff are ex-BD - for the rest of staff follow this link http://louisianastars.org/staff-2/ The short, four show, itinerary was what DCI recommended and would allow - a good idea IMHO as no one on staff has taken a corps on the road before (if I am to believe what I was told). I urge you to support this corps. They appear to be doing all the right things at the right pace. According to Nick, T-shirts will be available at the July 21 Lafayette show and then online.

It's OK to split hairs - that's what we do here :-) I contend, in this case, they are one and the same. The message I'm trying to put across is this: one member, the story teller is, the lead, the focus of the Colts show. The musicians are merely producing background music. As mentioned in earlier posts, the audience is confused by the story teller. Remember Mr. Harris's quote to members, staff, parents, and volunteers... "an eleven minute soliloquy."

Colts: It must be pointed out that during one winter camp Mr. Wayne Harris (storyteller) said the show will be "an eleven minute soliloquy." The marching members believe they are there to support the narrative! (My son marches with the corps and he has been told this) Surely it ought to be the other way around? There is at least one major brass hit that is drowned out by the narration.

Madison's 20 could be barely heard when the synths were playing.

That is not the Colt Cadets uniform. Would post a photo but don't know how!

As of last camp the narrator was a member and not an an adult (over 22).

Serious question... How is narration judged? The corps my son is marching with has stated that their show for 2014 will be a twelve minute "soliloquy." They've even hired a "story teller," Mr. Wayne Harris.

Colts... Achievement (of course). and... Increased complexity of brass charts and visual design. Soloists that don't frack.

Good to hear. I remember with horror the triangle that was being used - sounded like someone had made it out of rebar the night before!

I had the privilege to attend the British National Brass Band Championships in 1982 at the urging of my girlfriend who at the time played trombone for the City of Oxford Silver Band. It was an amazing experience. The format may be different now but at the time... Each finalist band received the test piece about two weeks before the event. There was a drawing to determine the performance line-up. The event was set up such that the judges would not know which band playing what they were hearing. The judges where situated in a "black box" so that they could not see who was playing. Nothing went in or out of that box from start to finish - it contained food, drink, and bathroom facilities. However I suspect that they may have known who was playing by each band's style, tone, and soloist capabilities. Spectators upon entrance were able to purchase a mini score to be able to follow along. Quite simply, I was amazed at the quality of the performances. I would jump at the chance to experience it again. It is freakishly competitive. There are many stories of individuals who after a "poor" performance were "sent to Coventry" (shunned) and even kicked off the bus for the journey home! My only disappointment was in percussion. The parts were far from challenging and player's technique just plain awful (some timpanists didn't even check tuning before playing!). It was clear it was all about the brass and not the ensemble, perhaps percussion being a necessary evil. I sincerely hope things have changed since then. It was only one, brief experience, but it remains a significant life event. The excellence of those brass bands is the standard to which I still compare today's brass sections. I'm sure there are many in this forum that are expert in the brass band arena and I look forward to their comments and reflections.

Me too, using Chrome!

Sounds like the biggest problem is the pc. However, I use a very cheap and simple set up. 2 Cables: 1. an rgb cable for video. 2. a double male 3.5mm jack audio cable running out of the headphone socket. Good luck.

Oh, but they are! Remember Panama 1989/90? It's how we got Noriega to surrender.

Did each non-finalist corps HAVE to compete?

Imagine several thousand people converging on a narrow street where about a hundred folks could actually see what was happening. No bleachers. No raised platform. Hearing drumlines, hearing the (very few that could see) cheer and whoop for the contestants. Well, that was the case here today on Georgia Street. DCI has an awesome opportunity here if they re-think the logistics.

Slipery Noodle. Great if you smoke - because you can!

Firstly, welcome. Secondly, you'll need a pretty think skin around here (folks are very quick to criticize)! A question: can you perform work like a top 12 guard member (silk, dance, and weapons)? As one instructor once said to a parent "Well, pretty much every snare that tries out for us is center snare at their school or college." Work smart and you should get to go where you want. Try winter guard first maybe and see where you are... Good luck

I would have definitely watched this on FanNetwork. My son marched with Colt Cadets for 2 years, before the being with the Colts, and I have great respect for OC corps.

me too - go Colt Cadets! But, then again, not too difficult to make top 12 when there's only 13 eligible corps competing...

Seriously, is no one posting from Michigan City?!