Triple Forte

Some of these ideas can probably be instituted. My suggestion. Review the realationship with DCI sponsors. You know.....everyone would like to play with the "Big Boys". Small companies are trying to match mid-size companies and mid-size companies are trying to match large companies. Problem is......many companies try to play a game that is over their head.....and they end up going out of business. What do the DCI sponsors (At every level, Leadership...etc) receive? Is it to much ? I would bet that DCI is spending a bit to much money trying to please (Wine and dine) the sponsors. Sponsors are CRITICAL...don't get me wrong. But I think sponsors should consider things differently when working with a non for profit organization. Maybe they do.....but I must tell you I am not getting that vibe. Shouldn't a non for profit organization constantly look at ways to save money around every corner? I don't think the DCI headquarter hotels (At the major events) need to be 4.5 - 5 star resorts. If I were running a non for profit.....I would use Motel Six where possible. Ok....may that last example is a tad extreme....but I think you get my point.....I hope.

It is obvious that many corps have no idea how to successfully maintain financial stability. At some point DCI needs to make some meaningful "adjustments". Oherwise, more corps will be lost. I actually overheard someone who was involved with a pretty significant Div II corps say......"I took out a second mortgage so that we could get two new contra's"

Havent seen this yet. Pits are bigger than ever......

My favorite show from BK goes back to when they first cracked in to the top 12 in 1991. Second favorite has to be 2001.....Blue Tunes. I thought they did a great job with a jazzy edge. OH.....and I loved "Some Enchanted Evening" from 2005 And finally......they should bring back the DOTS......there I said it.....

We can only hope....... I say WW will be allowed in the next five years.....ten at the latest They are already allowed for I & E.......

I would say a LOT of fans would consider WW the last straw.....thats for sure.

Agreed. If prices keep rising, I think DCI will have no choice but to trim down the schedule or create more of a region thing. Having Student debt and debt from drum corps...tough way to start your life after school.....

I have no reason to hope this Indy decision fails. Like another poster explained "I go to DCI Championships for drum corps". Any additional site seeing is bonus. I always thought the three or four rotating DCI Champs sites was/is a good idea. Another hobby of mine does this with their national convention. They started on the East and move the show accross the country. After three years the show/convention is back on the east coast again. Works well..... I am sure the band directors are thrilled at the opportunities of DCI being in their hometown for many years. But how does the sports organizations feel about this? Did DCI talk to them? I don't know what its like in Indy, but where I live the music/arts programs always have to bow to the sports organizations. The sports org's have the power. Parting thoughts..... 1. I don't automatically cheer and rah rah for all choices/decisions DCI makes. I guess I am not their model fan. (AND DCPer). 2. I am a realist by nature. Unfortunately that sometimes comes off as being "negative". Sorry for any typos :)

Ditto here.... Colts performed one my favorite shows in 2007. Keep the good times rolling......

Believe it or not it is quite possible that DCI is going to wear out its welcome with the local schools. A bunch of us drum corps fans discussed the "10 years at Indy" quite a bit while waiting for our plane after DCI in Madison 2006. Someone familar with that area (And drum corps overall) said the practice facilities will get harder and harder to lock down with each passing season. HS/college football teams will be upset about having there facilities used up by a drum corps. We all know the wear and tear a field takes after a drum corps has bee on it....... Curious to see what happens....... Every now and again when I am watching my 2004 (Denver) or Madison (2006) dvd's it hits me pretty hard that we are not going to see DCI finals at either one of those GREAT locations for many many seasons.....if at all.... :(

Spirit 2003 will always be a special show for me. There was nothing better (Or more exciting) that week than to see Spirit jump two spots in the semis to land themselves in to the big Saturday night show. That show had something for everyone. opener...modern approach.. ballad...solid old school....yup. good choices overall......

First....I did not call anyone names so please don't call me names...... >>USSBA is run by YEA! and the USSBA circuit is a major fundraiser for that orgainzation. >>YEA! is also the parent organization of The Cadets. >>DCI is helping one of its member organizations promote its activity. >>I see a connection. Also Tom.....I was responding to the above comments from poster BOBSYMTH. As far as I know, neither he or I know the details regarding the YEA organization. We are sharing opinions. I have no reason to believe (At all) that YEA is running a shady operation. Nor did I accuse them of anything of the kind. BOB mentioned (As you can see) that YEA is the parent organization of the Cadets and the USSBA and by DCI posting a note on their webpage it is helping one of its MEMBER organizations...USSBA. We are posting "opinions"......Please relax a tad :) :) People make death threats to radio talk show hosts. For what.......for what a radio talk show hosts opinions are?? Crazy.....if you ask me.

I disagree. If I were a member of the Cadets and found out my corps dues were funding a marching band circuit that I had no involvement with, I would be a tad upset. It works the other way around to. If I were part of the band circuit and found out monies pouring in to the circuit were funneling in to a drum corps budget instead....I would probably not like that either. BTW......I have been to both YEA drum corps and YEA USSBA events many many times. I think of them as separate entities. Band is band....drum corps is drum corps. Unlike YEA....I like two "separate" types of performing groups.

Does the news headline below have anything to do with DCI and drum corps? "USSBA set for National Championships"

And I think we can all make a pretty good guess who the man behind the curtain is :P :P

So......its the off season and drum corps news is a bit slow. But even though things are slow.....should two news items be posted on the dci.org web page discussing the marching band activity? I like drum corps for what it is and marching band for what it is. I don't like mixing them together. What do you all think?

Here is an interesting thought. I think the 80's was the best decade for great and consistent musical choices. That is my opinion. I can compare the 80's to today......because I was there then and I am here now. How can someone who was born in 1990 possibly comment on the activity from the 80's? They have tapes/dvd's as examples.....but is no way they can make an accurate comparison with tapes/dvd's alone....IMO. So I think this is one of the reasons you don't see many posts from newer fans complaining about the older days of DCI. To answer the original question I think today's DCI version of drum corps is ok, but lacks the moderation of the older version of DCI. I always use jazz as an example. It is all but gone in DCI today. To me that is not a good thing. I think a lot shows are programmed in a "safe" fashion and are way to generic. Some corps identities have shifted and this is something else that has changed what we see and hear. 2007 Corps Music I liked (No particular order) Crown Cavaliers Colts Pacific Crest Troopers Pioneer Boston Crusaders Madison Scouts Phantom

Way to go Pioneer. This Pioneer fan is really looking forward to your 2008 corps. And finally a show announcement that reads easy. Such things as "recognizable" are never used....so thanks Pioneer and best of luck in 08.....

Somthing is definately wrong. A couple of us out here (And I am sure many others) did not receive an opportunity to order advance tickets even though we have been ordering tickets for several years. What went wrong? Honestly you have had better luck with DCI than me. Most of the time when calling the DCI office they don't have answers to my questions....and even worse.....they don't offer to find out and get back to me. This year for tickets I filled out the order form and sent it in overnight air which was signed for by DCI at 09:30 CT. So...hopefully I get some good seats.......but you never know....'

I agree. The worst duts that I have heard are the ones that are WAYY to loud. Offensive....

Yeah....until there is a such thing as a 25 hour day....there is no way I can even hope to balance the DCP pro vrs. con DCI crowd....

I did NOT receive any communications from DCI in regards to advanced ordering for DCI 2008 tickets. I am not a Friend of DCI but I have been purchasing the Super 3 package consistantly since 2003. Last year I received an advanced email/letter informing me of all details regarding the tickets for 2007. Where in this text does is say "when" they will be confirming which seat(s) you have been assigned ?? It also doesn't say wether they will be contacting customers when the seats have been assigned. Sorry if you think what I have posted is bashing or whinning. I am a looonng time customer of DCI. Thousands of my dollars have been spent on DCI events/merch. I am simply an unhappy customer of DCI. It is my feeling they have little to know idea how to treat its faithful customers..... Here is a quick one. In Orlando 2003 I picked out my tickets in person for Denver 2004. Months later when I received my tickets......I observed they assigned me seats a whole section away from where I picked.....IN PERSON. I called to inquire....they said "Well.....maybe we can give you a free T shirt. A free shirt.....for $200.00 worth of tickets and hours of my time the day they went on sale in Orlando. I point these things out to help people.....and to balance DCP. There are so many who feel DCI does no wrong.....and that is simply not true

NO. I guess that I will be the first one to say that no advanced ticket buying opportunities for fans who have been buying super 3's for a couple of years now is aweful. Just shows they are not worried about fan retention......either that or they don't know a thing about pleasing faithful customers...... <**> <**> If you go through the mail order deal when do you find out what seats you got? Not listed in FAQ's..... <**>

Anyone out here check with DCI recently about the 2008 DCI Champ tickets? Do they go on sale on 10/31 ? Interesting if they do.....I check ticketmaster and their event calendar only goes out to April 2008 Gotta love DCI......no communication......as usual......

What a great opening this show had. I saw this live for the first time at Qtr Finals and man did there hornline deliver an intense sound in that opening hit. What kept me engaged was the fast motion and overall SCV intensity....