idontwan2know

Sun Devils will be staying at the Quality Inn by the airport and rehearsing at Wilson Foundation Academy. Visitors are always welcome!

We haven't needed to have the "DCP talk" with the corps in the past couple years as we did in the past as it is simply not on their radar. They will read and share reviews of their performance, but otherwise they stick to Facebook and Twitter for drum corps discussion. I imagine it would be different if we were competing and being talked about every week, but out here in the DCA hinterlands of Florida, it's just not a factor anymore.

As has been posted elsewhere, Alliance will be competing in open and Sun Devils in A, as has been the plan all along! Best way to keep up with us is at our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sdcorps?ref=ts&fref=ts

I'm pretty sure a lot of the retreat format was to get the stadium emptied out ASAP. I understand the noise ordinances, but it would be nice if they could negotiate at least some music while the corps enter for retreat if we ever go back. It was a bit awkward with corps just wandering across the field in silence.

The prelims crowd was the best I've experienced in my DCA career. They got there early and were responsive and really rewarded the corps who made an impact. Very clear difference from the last couple years in Rochester, in my opinion.

Any time the performance order is significantly different than the competitive results you end up with some interesting numbers. Saw Tradition from backfield and it looked like quite a good performance.

If you think it's hard finding a rehearsal facility now, just try and talk a high school into letting an outside group on their gym floor. Not gonna happen. High school guards and indoor lines can't even get time in their own gyms anymore.

For the exact same reasons you need more than 1 trumpet, mello, baritone and tuba.

The point of amplification is not that you never play at full dynamics. It's that you don't have to just to be heard. Parts can be played with the appropriate technique, dynamics and musicianship and still be as present as they need to be to achieve the desired effect.

Sun Devils, Inc. is proud to announce a new leadership team to take the organization into the future. Current Executive Director and Board President, John Hoekstra, is taking a leave of absence. John was a driving force behind the formation of the corps and led the organization through the past three years of rapid growth. The Sun Devils are eternally grateful for his service and look forward to his return to an active role with the organization. Taking John's place as Board President is Sun Devils charter member Eddie Doherty. Eddie has previously served on the board of directors as Vice President and served as Assistant Director for the 2009 season, which saw the Sun Devils make their DCA World Championships debut. We also welcome new treasurer Keith Trotter and new member at large Mark Cole. We have retained previous board members Paul McLemore, Tammy Hoekstra, Lou Labetti and the newly married Amanda (Bork) Miller. Our advisory team will consist of Bill Slover and John Hoekstra. Stepping in to fill the role of Executive Director is another Sun Devils charter member and current drum major and Business Manager John Johnson. Known to most in the drum corps community as JJ, John brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as interim Executive Director, then permanent Executive Director of Heat Wave Drum and Bugle Corps. Under John's leadership Heat Wave was able to emerge from a significant debt load to return to financial health and the subsequent donation of the corps' assets made it possible to get Sun Devils off the ground. In addition to serving as drum major for the Northern Illinois University Huskie Band, Heat Wave and Sun Devils, John has instructed several Orlando area high school bands and is an alumnus of the seven time BOA grand national champion Marian Catholic HS band program. The Sun Devils ask you to help us welcome these individuals to their new roles as we work towards our return to the field. Plans are already under way for fund raising and performance opportunities over the next several months. Stay tuned to the corps' website for details to be posted soon!

I have it on good authority from sources inside the organization that the show will consist zydeco music and follow the distinctly American tale of the Cajun people of Louisiana.

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Au contraire, Tom! I am all too familiar with Vic's fashion sense!

I quit!

Quoted for truth.

A level of intensity and skill that needed no words!

I never had the pleasure of meeting him personally, but his enthusiasm and charisma were legendary and it seemed like everyone had a story about him. I can still remember reading his book, The Dynamic Drum Major, to prepare for my high school drum major audition long before I had any idea what DCA or the Reading Buccaneers were. Deepest condolences on behalf of the Sun Devils to the thousands affected by this loss.

Count me in as a fan of both the video recaps (though I agree that they may have been started a little soon after the corps finished and a little more breathing space might be better) and the new retreat format. Most of the performers I know simply do not have the affection or attachment to playing off as some people in this thread.

Yes. Caption awards are based on finals and have been for a few years now.

Heat Wave won percussion that year from outside finals as well. I imagine that had something to do with changing the rule.

Regional politics aside, I think we can all rejoice in one thing: Finals will finally be in an honest to god football stadium!

This. Oh, and judge it to the sheets, not anyone's preconcieved notions about what a small corps can or can't do.

This will be my sixth year involved in DCA and in that time, for various reasons, I've never participated in or even seen any of these parking lot runs. Apparently my DCA experience has been a complete waste of time and I didn't even know it.

You can't buy what Roman won't sell. My understanding is that someone already tried and was told to pound sand.

It's so easy at this time of the season to get caught up in the competition and lose perspective regarding some of the more enduring reasons we participate in this activity, namely that it brings us in contact with people like Geoff. I still remember clearly getting word saturday morning from a friend in the Buccaneers' organization about Geoff and how it continually intruded on my thoughts throughout the day, even as somone who had never met him. In the stands prelims night, even though it was my first viewing of the show, it was clear that there was something just a little off about the performance. Some people were trying to push through to a new level, while others were clearly distracted and not ready. It was still a superior performance, obviously, but it was evident that something just wasn't quite right. Sunday night was a whole different story, though. That performance was a searing tribute to Geoff and truly something special.