JimF-LowBari

Just remembered that some(?) years the Alumni show at DCA tried to recreate the feel of the old Dream Contest that started well before DCI or DCA. Idea was to have 5 Jr based Alumni corps followed by 5 Senior based Alumnis. Now what could be done for a DCI Alumni show? CYO, World Open, ??????

LOL, inspections were before my time. But we can chop out the concert number in the Prelims. OK, AL or VFW rules ^0^

Think we're seeing it two different ways so I'll wait for ODBC to explain. Heh - 5 sets of judging standards as the Erie Thunderbirds also marched in the RCA (small Sr circuit) which had their own set of rules.

Nope and to clear up what I think is apoch003s confusion. The only connection between DCA and Alumni corps is that DCA chooses to host an Alumni show Sunday morning DCA weekend. It was a dream of Micky Petrone to showcase the Alumnis. Went to my first Alumni Spectacular last year and it is a blast. Have everything from stand still concerts to full field shows. Edit: apoch003 posted while I was typing. The Alumni shows are not judged. Edit (again): Remembered the tic system comments :P Now we have four sets of judging standards to choose from. DCI (tic/not tic) and DCA (tic/not tic) systems?

Some of us will be enjoying Drum Corps at a show this Saturday night in my home area. But got a stinkin' feeling if I mention where the flames will start. ^0^ My point is, people are making choices what they wish to see or not see. No smart ###ed remarks, they are just doing it.

LOL, and I was wondering if I was seeing a LOT of the ad because I went to that High School :P Didn't notice any slow down on my end even with slooow phone connection. Thanks for the banner ad John, hope it helps get DC back in my home area. Can't wait for the show.

Heard over the weekend that Kingsmen are open to anyone.

FYI - Some Alumni corps have members young enough to be able to try out for a Junior corps if they wanted to. Of course they're kind of outnumbered by the rest of us ^0^ ODBC - The ticks would be replaced by the pops and snaps coming from some of our joints. (Not to mention the moans, groans and grunts....)

So that's what was happening.... thanks for the info.

Howza 'bout - "This is the Twilight Zone" to tie in the door from last year. Yeah I know, watched too much "Twilight Zone" marathon on SciFi while getting ready for or recovering from the parades.

Saw show live at pre-season exhibition and had three thoughts: 1) Would rather have heard just the drum line. 2) Someone repeating themselve is annoying :P 3) Just have the feeling some smart ### at Finals will yell "YOU'RE IN MADISON" to answer the "Where are we?". Like the smart remark last year with the door ("Don't open it"?).

Had this discussion on RAMD a few years ago. Appears Northeastern parades pay well which may explain the high percentage of Senior and Alumni corps in the area. Someone reported that some Northwest parades require groups to pay to get in. I'll just say that the Baltimore area parades were worth the effort $$$$ wise for the corps involved.

You must be one of those people who have a life outside of Drum Corps that I keep hearing about. :P Kidding, kidding as this does get way too serious compared to the "cosmic scheme of things" <$1 to a college buddy>

Ohhh DrumCorpsMom is THAT Cathy from RAMD.... Totally agree with Liz that any insult from her end was unintentional..... Cathy reconsider coming to DCA, it can be a fun time, on the field and off.

Wow I went by where MikeD competed.... :P Great story Mike as I love the offbeat aspect of Drum Corps and life in general. Everyone make it thru yesterday OK???? Weird part was the MD/PA weather. It was cloudy and muggy at the early parades but PA was getting off and on thunderstorms from 5AM on. Dundalk parade ran late as we were getting on the bus the time we were supposed to be starting at Towson. Someone everheard a parade offical(?) say "Every time there's an election year this thing runs late. All the people running have to make a long speech at the reviewing stands". <**>

And having an ex-Westshoremen running around with a sharp object :sshh: Too bad Havre de Grace is the only parade where we get a chance to walk around to check out the other corps. Tomorrow starts too early (our bus leaves at 6AM and I live a good hour away) and the mall is a giant cluster bleep is getting set up. And yes, thank goodness for the people following us with the water.

Four hours!!! Ouch!!!! We were #32 and stepped off about 2:30-2:45. And then it was another ???? until we actually got to the parade route. If it was a white haired (well he had a hat) gentleman with dark pants and a Lancer shirt my guess is it was Bob Zarfoss our drum instructor. Overheard Bob say he talked to John while we were lining up. I was hanging around Carolina (right next to your corps) looking for a guy I knew from 70s Westshore. Turns out he went home early because of work. And after I left I realized I was probably standing a few feet from Cindy Crawford and didn't realize it. To quote Homer Simpson D'OH!!!!

Well that explains a lot Chris. Went to my first full Junior show in about ten years in 2003. I collect corps pins/buttons and hardly bought any that night. And pretty sure Crown had 100% generic "I play Trumpet", etc, etc in non-corps colors.

At first I wasn't going to post this but some who read here knew Posey. And since this is in the Drum Corps family. During the Havre de Grace parade yesterday we had a quick ceremony in his memory. When we got to the spot where he went down (front of the fire house) we stopped and had a moment silence. Then we took the black ribbons off of our equipment and placed them in Poseys shako which was carried in the parade. We then stepped off playing the corps theme "You'll Never Walk Alone". A few block later we heard an ambulance siren behind us but couldn't figure out why it didn't pass. Heard later it was the crew that handled Posey last year and they were giving their own tribute. And if anyone heard us play the National Anthem before we stepped off, it was bought in Poseys memory.

OK Shirley :P ^0^ :P

*ker-bump* And hope everyone made it thru a hot ###ed Havre de Grace parade yesterday (90+ and high humidity). Saw Alliance, CorpsVet, Carolina Gold, Yankee Rebels and Archer Epler members getting ready before we lined up. Good luck for tomorrow, take it safe, play well and build up that corps treasury. PS - CorpVets.... Please rig up a summer uniform for next time. You worried the crap out of us wearing that uni top.

That kicked in a brain cell..... We hosted a Jr exihibition show at Hershey the day after the infamous (for Muchacho fans) 1975 DCI Finals. Got to meet a few Muchachos and only thing I remember is talking about was where the age outs would go. Still remember one saying "I'm joining Sky, I'm sick of playing this Spanish crap!". :P

Westshoremen (DCA) did vocals in late 80s/early 90s as their closing number ("Music") started with the entire corps singing the words of the first verse. And yes (even as an Alumni) I hated it. :( But I did give them a "golf clap" for their efforts. :P

We have gone from addressing pit balance issues to what corps are doing with amps today in just a few years. Following is ripped off from a thread I started last week which didn't go too far. No disrespect to Matts post, his is just the best quote to respond to. *ripoff follows* The reasoning behind the original amp proposal was so the mallet players could use proper technique to be heard. IOW there was a sound balance issue between the pit and the rest of the corps. Answer was to amp the pit to achieve balance for that area of the corps. Now we have amped vocals. Why? <pause 2 seconds > Because unamped vocals cannot be heard over the corps or in the stands. IOW - yes another balance problem. In my job I have to think ahead to the next few steps. Did the same thing here and realize the only thing holding back balancing the entire corps is a lack of technology. My thoughts are that when technology catches up someone will want to rig up an entire corps so they can be balanced the same way you see at rock concerts. *end of ripoff* Forgot to mention use of soundboards in original thread.

Larry said that? :P Larry and some of the board were responsible for me returning for 1975. After we got creamed at 1974 Prelims we went one by one into a room back at the motel. We were supposed to say if we would be returning. I walked in and two the board members (who gave me rides to practice) looked up and yelled. "Jim??? #### yeah he'll be back!". Larry said OK and put a checkmark on the sheet. I was back in the hallway before I knew what hit me. Edit: Forgot to mention I had just turned 17 at the time.