Donny Drum Corps

I thought you told me you had filled them????

Let me know!

I can tell you that it starts at 5 and at least Ghost Riders, Heartliner from Germany, Sacramento Freelancers, Annapolis Drum Corps, and Navy Drum Corps are there. There will be a mass ensemble for all performers and any drum corps people that would like to play. Watch for an official announcement.

Ghost Riders are ALSO Staying at O'Callaghan's BTW...

While this may be true, I (or you) cannot really say that DCA has bought into the move it or lose it model you are referring to.

I cant imagine that people wanted to get in I and E, something could not be done about that with a phone call or E mail. No fact that I know, but I would bet on it. Donny

I am hoping the White Sabers will have higher than 80...four weeks in a row is enough

Come on White Sabers...get that score up! I am thinking about you guys, but with two playing gigs and the Statesmen Farewell, I just couldn't make it this weekend. Do it! Donny

Any BHOF members should jump in...challenge

Nah...one class only...if you want to do drill knowing that it doesn't count on your score, go ahead. I hope that this conversation trickles down to the people in charge and reminds the judges that drill doesn't count in the final score.

I wouldn't quite go that far...but You will enjoy the show. If the judges base their score on effect like the sheets say, we will do fine. It is Copland, Brian Balmages, Paul Winter Consort et al all twisted up into a production. DA

Our show is some of the Appalachian Spring melody...but has many components other than such Appalachian Spring. It is about the "Simple Gifts" that we are given that we just assume and take for granted. It is more about a Thanksgiving for the gifts we receive. Something as simple as waking up in the morning or the water that our planet has so much of. But you will hear the "Simple Gifts" melody in every piece somewhere. The members are enjoying it. We honestly had to cut back on drill, because some of our guys just cannot do it. We are coming full at 25 members strong! I don't think we will suck too bad.

You will be sorely missed in the mini corps division. Hopefully you will consider returning next year back in Rochester

Why the decline? 2 cents not speaking for the Ghost Riders, but my own opinion. Cost Involved in travel. hotels. logistics. Cost involved in copyrights. Performance fees. Lack of interest. (It is a competition.) Doing too much drill/Outside venue affiliations with other corps getting in the way Jeff Ream's dislike of mini corps (j/k) Mini corps was from its inception formed to be an outlet for guys that were in Alumni corps and maybe even competing corps to do something on (then) the Saturday night in between prelims and finals and compete. In their alumni corps they didn't get that chance. It was geared toward entertainment and perhaps included some vintage memorabilia from DCA or DCI corps as repertoire choices. It kept the same intent through the fact that they changed it to Friday night, and in Rochester the indoor venue was very conducive for it's success. It was a party atmosphere. There were people that talked through corps performances and no one even cared. Many people were in different forms of inebriation, including perhaps even the performers. It gave the opportunity to fire department groups, like Golden Eagles, Lambertville, et al to do something different than a parade. The people that comprised these groups that I know do take it quite seriously including the Ghost Riders. We had friendly, but very competitive rivalries with Erie, Golden Eagles, Mass Brass, Minne-Brass, etc. One by one (in that same order) I just mentioned, they fell off and there was even talk in the winter Ghost not going to Annapolis because of the distance, cost or lack of energy to see it through again. Annapolis is not as friendly to perform in as the inside venue in Rochester. Doing drill hurt us last year and many of our members voiced their concerns about doing as much this year. Mini corps is for some guys that are too old or too heavy to do the drill it takes to be in an Open or Class A corps. Ghost Riders have used staging gimmicks and limited movement like horn and foot moves and things like that. We also used props to set a stage for the music we had chose. There is no place on any scoring sheets that give credit for doing drill. Yet we were determined to do it anyway. It almost cost me membership from last year, until we assured them we wouldn't do it this year. Inside the staging stuff works great, but outside we thought we needed to do drill. Too much drill is another factor that we had to consider. First of all, why do it when there is no place to receive score for it? The guys we have march in other corps, and we have honored the competing or alumni corps they play with in this regard, making it tough to schedule rehearsals with full attendance. Some of them are elderly, and we have never cut someone for being too old or overweight etc. Anyway...I hope and believe to watch it begin to be back to (normal?) next year in Rochester. I have heard mumblings about new corps that are reforming from old corps out east. I would love to see Erie, Golden Eagles and Mass Brass come back especially. Any ONE of us could have won and that made great competitive battles. Something coincidental does happen when we feel like you cannot win and we stop coming, despite what may be being said by others. I have had that same respective concern from our members. It may not be the primary reason but when weighed in with the factors of cost for travel, cost for hotels, fees to perform, rights to play and record, synch rights, etc. but for us it does carry some weight...I wont deny it. Yes Star United has raised the bar, but the group I am involved with has not backed down from that challenge. Even with lesser talent and more obstacles to success added in, I expect to battle for the top spot in Annapolis next Friday. This will be 18 consecutive years for the Ghost Riders in mini corps competition. Truthfully, I find it exhilarating and get enjoyment from it. Even with only four corps in the show, it is worth the price of admission...(free). DA

I will guarantee that the Ghost Riders will be in the top 4 this year!

makes ya wonder, don't it? Lower corps aren't moving, yet getting better every week.

I kind of feel bad.

Ghost Riders are also on the dock!

I would love to hear that!

Ghost Riders will be there for our 18th consecutive year.

I doubt that C2 can beat Empire this week.

St Joes Alumni and UB Marching band as well.

Double duty this weekend.

I AM going!

Aye yi yi.....Big night tonight Ghost Riders putting things together nicely, getting on the White Sabers bus at 2:30 AM for Woodbridge. It is all good! DA