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ECJ94

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Everything posted by ECJ94

  1. I formerly lived in Biddeford and Saco myself with family in Wiscassett, Augusta and Ocean Park. I am happy to hear that this individual is no longer a threat, but saddened that this even happened in the first place.....
  2. If you could hand pick Dan Acheson's successor as DCI's CEO, whom would you pick? I have seen people mention Dave Gibbs and David Glasgow already, but was hoping for people's thoughts and reasoning behind the picks. I'll go first. Robert Morrison - formerly of The Cadets, Music for All, VH1 Save the Music, Pearl Percussion, NAMM, etc. https://musicforall.org/board-of-directors/robert-b-morrison/ Bob ticks off a ton of the boxes that I would like to see. 1) Familiarity with drum corps (as he was former staff - the first front ensemble caption head for the C-Pit). 2) Experience in non-profit management. 3) Highly successful in business. 4) Very well respected by many within the music/arts community.
  3. And in 1993, the schools were already in session in metro Jackson during finals week. This is not something new to DCI, they were dealing with it 30 years ago. They then went to Florida, where schools also start this week. Do I like the hotels being used by the corps? No, but there are only so many National Guard Armories, ice skating rinks and fairgrounds available to be used. The other thing that I just thought of... does using a hotel to house a corps typically mean that the food crew gets breakfast off? If so, that's a win for staffing as well as food costs.
  4. The fact that they both posted in the same thread does not make them working in concert any more than it makes you as working in concert with them. Perhaps now would be a good time for the SCV alum to take their personal laundry (vendettas) inside. It is stinking up the place around here now.
  5. And... What does Mr. Lesher's post have to do with Ms. Ghost? Are you implying that they are acting in concert to overthrow the VMAPA leadership? I have ZERO skin in the SCV game, however I have found that Mr. Lesher has backed up his core claims with irrefutable facts. Ms. Ghost and I have spoken in the past privately and I find her to be above board and commendable for taking the initiative where the organizations have failed. Now, as for my impression from reading your posts....
  6. It used to be the ageouts left their shoes.... Now they're going to leave their props?? I guess that will make it easier for the BOA groups to recycle them (and vice versa)...
  7. Try Malden, MA on for size. Directly behind the visiting stands are the following: 1) MBTA Orange Line Subway. Every 10 minutes there is both a northbound and a southbound passing by... 2) MBTA Commuter Rail - Diesel Locomotives. Roughly every 45 minutes one would pass by. 3) MBTA busses - did I mention that the Malden Center station (Subway, Commuter Rail & Busses) is across the street? 4) Occasional freight trains using the MBTA tracks. 5) Massachusetts Route 60 is up against the fence behind the north end zone. Tom Hope once asked me how the members kept focus in 2004 when he was trying to stop the show during ECJ's closer..... I attributed it to MacDonald Stadium in Malden
  8. I have an interesting perspective on this, that I would like to share. I grew up in the city of Malden, Massachusetts. My mother almost enrolled me at this day care, however she got a vibe that she did not like and enrolled me in a different one. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fells_Acres_day_care_sexual_abuse_trial I also went to school with the three children of the gentleman that was accused, convicted and later released. The oldest daughter was 1 year older, the younger daughter was in my grade and the son (the youngest) was a former student of mine when I was teaching percussion in the city's music program. I also know many of the people that claimed to be victims, and they still do. They have never recanted. With all that being said, it is absolutely imperative that the v-s is fully supported from the get go. It is not the place of ANY person to attack their experience (aside from trained professionals). If you go off half cocked attacking their credibility from the start, how is anyone ever going to be able to investigate? Why do I ask that? Because the v-s's will NOT REPORT IT IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE. We will be right back in the days of people being able to assault 18+ individuals, with public whispering campaigns going on in the background, as we have seen in the past. You support the accuser. You actively listen to the accuser. You do not call out the accuser, or other individuals regarding their experiences. You turn everything over to trained, licensed investigators and you maintain an appropriate amount of pressure on them to perform a thorough and complete investigation.
  9. Boston over-acheiving their book in percussion?? 3rd in content, but 1st in acheivement?? Cont - 7.9 Achv - 8.1
  10. I LOVE the guard costuming. The corps proper..... there are parts that I like. The nod to a whale tail on the hat. The Blue of the sea. I do have to wonder though.... did any sections get old Hartford Whalers gear for tour shirts, hats, etc? It's too bad that 7th Regiment's home show is not a World Class show anymore (like it was when 7th first started). The New London crowd would eat this show up!!!!
  11. Okay, it is time for the yearly topic. Who has new drums and/or new wraps for 2023? Let's see some pictures as they are put out for public consumption!!
  12. I just watched the video above and I agree, the shopping cart was in bad taste as well as a potential hazard to the member in it as well as members around it, but the underlying thing that I can't help but note.... Back when there used to be a full retreat at every show, members were taught early how to maintain proper decorum during retreat. That seems to be missing these days. Yes, we all remember flying elbows during the pass through, but the shenanigans ended on the track. Once you were back on the field, all games came to an end. The staff wasn't on the field to police your actions, the veteran membership did that. Now, the veteran members don't even know how to act. Perhaps full retreats should be occurring more often? Perhaps regional should have full retreats so that the members start learning what is expected of them before they get to finals??
  13. Will this be Boston's main prop this year?? Pleasure Island's Moby Dick Whale
  14. An update was posted today by the SCV (Alumni Association?) https://scvanguard.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=664de1c5b981a6ca2b4e55e61&id=da1590bf3a&e=62345f1715
  15. If I recall correctly, the last corps that was from the metro DFW area was Lone Star after they migrated around most of the state. At different points in time, they were based in Waco as well as Wichita Falls. In the modern era, they have sustained operations the longest in the metro DFW area. https://lonestardbc.tripod.com/id58.html
  16. So.... Not to poke with a stick, but.... According to the press release, yesterday was Spike's last day. Who is "in charge" in Santa Clara now???
  17. I would think that the October parting of ways would have more to do with the retasking of BDB to be a local ensemble. That news was released on September 30th.
  18. My high school band was "corps style", with many corps members involved. Looking back on it, we tended to get a little touchy about breaking ranks - especially in the battery. i personally issued more then my fair share of "hip-check" styled maneuvers while wearing a set of Ludwig quads. They were heavy as hell, but they could take (and issue) a beating!! As for the old school parade style retreats - I personally miss it. There was something to be said for each drumline getting to play their cadance on the track and the entire corps playing while passing in review. Now the "Olympic" Style retreats - those were ....... interesting. When I marched, we only had them a couple of times a year, but that was always like Fight Club in disguise. I was in the pit, so I either carried cymbals or nothing. But you used to see bass drummers pivoting at the hips, tenor drummers swaying side to side, contras being contras - 'nuff said? It always seemed like those that had the most bruises were the winners!!
  19. My alma matter (Malden) has become focused more on orchestral band rather than marching after the latest change in directorship. Back in the late 80's, they were one of the top marching bands in the state and now they don't even exist as a marching band...... When Malden was a marching powerhouse in the state, there were a large number of direct ties to DCI - from members also participating in the Diplomats/Ambassadors, ECJ, the Citations, the Spartans, 27th and Boston - and staff being involved in all of them plus 27th, it is a sad state to see. They had a real resurgence in the early 2000's through the combined efforts of Jim Lutz (Northstar member, Spartans staff) and Matt Tavares (Spartans member, Citations staff) but now Matt is running a middle school program in the city (with a NESBA percussion ensemble) and the high school has an orchestral based director (as well as the band parent association losing most of their ability to provide financial support due to the smoking ban killing bingo). I don't think that we will ever see a real resurgence in Malden again for marching band due to the lack of financial support mainly, but I also believe that a number of other programs are facing the same pressures. But, while all of that is happening in Malden, there has also been a resurgence in a number of other cities - Medford has built their program, Quincy/North Quincy is building a nice program. Look at how far Everett came within 20 years under Gene O'Brien and Charley Poole..... It just shows, if towns are willing to invest, it is possible. BUT, the town/school district has to be more heavily involved than they used to be and provide funding. They can't rely on outside organizations providing all/most of the funding like they used to. I like this move for NESBA/IAM. There are a LOT of synergies in this. From the major players involved in both organizations to the additional revenue stream that it can provide IAM, to the tie-ins that IAM can leverage with Great East. I am hopeful that this works out for everyone. It is more promising on the surface than the attempted tie-in that was tried with US Bands by NESBA to keep the "Big Boys" happy. That felt like a bad G7 type move...... Now comes the question though.... how do you increase NESBA participation amongst the bands that are historically more MICCA and MAC based? A lot of them like the stars system and the lower costs for MICCA vs. NESBA. Also, can you attract more of the MAC members from Connecticut and New York to make the circuit more truly regional? Only time will tell.
  20. But, were they ever feasible? How many of these organizations have ever truly been able to pivot? Bingo dies. What happens to the corps? The member who's parents are the "dependable volunteers" ages out. What happens? Not many alumni are willing to step up and give back, or they are not in a position in their lives to. I've put out the call to parents and alumni in the past to hear crickets chirping. It is all too common. Unless the activity can build the leaders for the next generation (ala Boston Crusaders), there will not be qualified people to pick up the reigns. I was lucky. After I marched I was able to spend 2 years on a volunteer basis giving back after being successful with my first company. How many are willing to sacrifice personally to give back and enable the future generation?
  21. Life circle here..... I have lived in Denton 2 blocks from UNT. I have been on the management team of a former top open class corps... I currently live in Savannah. And yes, there is a ton of apprehension in the community about the Bananas leaving the Coastal Plains League. But, as an aside.... I know of another top echelon open class corps that spent roughly $1.2 million this past season. While I feel for the members and staff of SCVC, and feel very strongly that Gale must be rolling over in his grave about his beloved organization, I have to ask..... Is this activity even obtainable for the average individual/organization? Think about it. $1.2 million for a zero percent slice of the revenue pie from DCI. It all goes to the World Class corps unless you appear in their shows. Sponsorships/endorsements don't happen for the Open Class corps unless you have a top name staff that has relationships with the companies already. Let's face it. The activity isn't dieing for the open class corps. It's been dead for years since the demise of the regional circuits. DCE, DCW, DCS (short lived), DCM, Garden State Circuit, Eastern Mass Circuit, ODCA. They are what kept the activity alive and enabled the smaller corps to have an avenue to enable them to exist. You could compete locally and not have to have all of the out of state members to remain viable. Yes, as you became more successful, you would add out of state members as you climb the ranks, but you didn't have to just to exist. Over the past few years, we've seen multiple corps put out the call for help while within the season and the criticism always follows. How many people have an idea about the costs these days? Or how if one fundraiser goes wrong, it can jeapordize the future of the organization? Personally, I would love to see SCVC go back to their roots. Open it up to local membership and become a local instructional corps again. Unfortunately, it looks like VMPA is not interested in that.....
  22. Can we have a.... Wait for it............ A THREE WAY TIE??????!!!!!¡!
  23. Agreed. Indy offered a MUCH better deal than some previous host cities...... Anyone remember Jackson 1993? They bid and paid DCI to bring finals there. Anyone want to go back there? Didn't think so.
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