Weaklefthand4ever

I think it would just get better traction with the community at large. Granted this looks like it's in the opening stages and will take some time, I suspect, to navigate.

I feel like it's a very specific fan base. I don't know if there's anything specific data wise that would show trending but it's definitely interesting. The people who want to stay relevant manage to find a way to do just that. Even guys like Scott Johnson have adapted their arranging to fit into the times and that's been over what, nearly 4 decades probably?

I think that makes perfect sense. I never really thought of it like that. I look back fondly on my memories as well. I guess I also am 1. A big fan of evolution in the activity and 2. Smart enough to realize that I know I could not have done what they do now. Our definition of body movement in the battery was when you vigorously shook your shako.

I think old corps people should do their own podcast. Maybe call it "Get off my field! - An old person's guide to Drum Corps." I just know I just watched Bloo 2022 again and sweet baby James that show is sickengly good. I know my reactions would have definitely been R rated. I don't get how anyone can NOT appreciate modern drum corps.

I literally just shot coffee out of my nose lol. Now I can't get the image out of my head. I need a young priest and an old priest!

That's a tough question to answer without getting flamed lol. BD learned to play the game earlier and quite frankly, better, than anyone else. They design to the sheets both visually and musically. For quite a while everyone else was playing catchup with that concept it seemed and swimming against the current. That's now changed. The top 6 are evening out. Bloo, BD, BC, Crown....They're all designing to maximize the sheets. Corps like Cadets, Mandi's and PR are learning REALLY fast now that they've decided to challenge their own norms. I still feel like BD has an advantage for a few years to come and the reason I do is because of how consistently they clean and peak in the final few weeks. They leave enough room that even if a caption is weaker, the others are immaculate by finals (look at drums this year.) They train to win and they train to peak at the right time. They also have perhaps the most consistent level of talent from year to year.

Yep. The Google machine served well. Looks like a very old school approach to establishing a drum corps. The affiliation seems to be largely with the fire department. I would like to see a bit more of a business plan and when they plan to compete etc., but it's a start!

So yes you can do DCI and HS or college. @C.Holland is 100% on point as usual. Download packets, go to camps, learn things. I did DCI in HS into college but that as in the 80s. I came back to march DCA starting in 2005. It was A BLAST. DCA is a fantastic introduction to DCI. Much lower time and monetary commitment and still some fantastic instruction (example: my caption head in DCA had instructed at Cavies and PR.) As far as financial assistance in DCI (or DCA,) there are scholarships opportunities available and different corps will typically have different ways that you can reduce the amount of members dues you owe. If you don't want to go that route, then spend a summer practicing and working (saving) in preparation for corps. One way to maybe help get your parents on board is to start with a question. What has their exposure been to DCI? If it has just been you hyping DCI, then they aren't really necessarily getting the full picture. Have they been to an experience camp or family day? Have they gone to DCI's webpage or even YouTube and watched the intro videos or read the articles for non-mm's? There is a LOT of information out there. Now let's also be transparent: DCI or DCA is not going to get through college quicker etc. Will it help with key components of a degree program, of course. But be realistic in how you present the experience. Most rookies will tell you that they learned more their first summer in DCI or even DCA than they learned in a full year of college. You're getting some of the best instruction in the world, playing along side of elite players who push you to be the best, performing far more frequently under pressure and learning responsibility on a level that is difficult to reproduce outside of drum corps or the military band programs.

Understood and I am certainly not here to harsh anyone's mellow. But isn't this exactly what we want? To bring people who don't have the marching arts experience to a place where they can appreciate what it is that we do (did?) Being a fan shouldn't be an elitist club (and I don't think you're saying it should be.) And although monetizing that may not connect with us, it's also not FOR us.

I was thinking exactly the same thing Fran. Find out your needs and then hire great people to fill those needs. Run the part you know and manage the people who run the other parts to ensure alignment. No one person is an island.

Double rim and crank it until the popping stops and the squeaking starts lol

Everyone said I was daft to put a kevlar head on a Vistalite, but I did it all the same, just to show them. It cracked and collapsed. So I did a second one. That cracked and collapsed. So I did a third one. That one cracked, collapsed then shot a tension casing 25 yards and hit a guardie in the head. But the fourth one held tension! And that's what you're going to get, lads, the strongest plastic shell high tension snare drum in all of Tennessee!

We marched 2 or 3 tenors, 4 basses and usually 5 or 6 snares I want to say. Now this was mid into the late 80s so please note I use the term "snares" loosely as they were 10x15" 10 lug green vistalites. When kevlar finally became a thing, someone (not me for once) decided to put a K-falam (the knarly yellow ones) on a vistalite. It lasted for....ohh...maybe 45 seconds before the shell collapsed.

So....many...rim...clicks...arghhhhhh Yeah I can almost feel that 700lb set of Slingerland tenors (I converted mine to quints 'cause that's how I rolled) hanging on my shoulders from '85 lol. This is so oddly terrifying and yet satisfying at the same time. Puck mallets and triplets baby! Wooooo let's go!

I was going to go with Scott Brown but Will Rapp definitely falls into that same style lol. That would have been a pretty beast bass line for mid 80s

Definitely a head chop from a wayward cymbal. Those 70s Zildjian's could absolutely take a limb off. On a side note, I love how my phone knew how to spell Zildjian when I don't think I've ever looked up Zildjian on this phone. That's creepy as hell.....my stupid phone knows I'm a drummer.....

He also marched tenors in Crown. His snare chops aren't too bad either for a Q4 guy.

I love how he took the time to actually have them playing on the correct drums for tenors and bass drums lol. And of course the street beat was completely obnoxious and 107% accurate to the absolute garbage that most of us played in school in the 80s lol

It was electric. I've probably watched that alumni show 20 times and still love it. The crowd reaction is an MM's dream come true. I think what makes it even more special is that every member is playing for the joy of performing and moving an audience. No trophies....just joy and pride. That's what drew me to march corps and I hope that the players of the future can feel that kind of joy. Thank you Bluecoats. That was special in sooooo many ways.

That seems to be a greater hitch in the giddyup at least in my work world lately than it is of the right people not getting the offers. I've turned down promotion twice in the last year because the situation I would have been going into would have been a flip of the coin to make or break my career. Too high risk with no real reward. Whomever takes it hopefully fully understands that it's hard job, a thankless job and one where every past sin of the one's who came before you are paraded out on a regular basis. That's just what it is. I want it to be someone who is doing the job because they understand how important youth arts is and want to see the corps succeed and be better managed. I don't give a flyin', hairy rats ### about sex, age, etc etc etc. Those are non starter conversations for me. Get someone in who has some good experience in business and in non-profits, surrounds themselves with good people, cares about the corps, the kids and their experiences and actually stops to listen.

Now in the corporate world we've changed the phrase we use to "tribal knowledge." Unfortunately, when things get passed down, there is often not a filter in place to catch things that don't work well, run counter to accountability and inclusion or are just straight up wrong and dumb. Too much credit is given to "well person x does a decent job and they don't give us any problems." That's not the way to improve things. I am being purposefully vague in my comments because I simply do not have the knowledge of non-profits that some of you cats do. I'm in evaluate and learn mode. But I will say that this thread has mostly been very informative and amicable and I, for one, appreciate the dialogue. Keep teaching me stuff....work is boring and my brain is starting to lose steam. (Probably doesn't help that I have over 220 hours of PTO accrued because I never take time off.)

.

Long gone are the days of local shops printing your t-shirts for sale at the source booth, autographed pin stripe drum heads and some logo Silver Fox sticks I guess lol. It got so.....complicated in the past 30 years. God I'm old....

And I think this statement holds the key. The marching arts are playing catch up. For years issues went completely unaddressed. We are still in react mode for the most part at this point, mitigating damage rather than proactively heading it off. The better the training, reporting and accountability, the less issues should arise. It's a HUGE task and one that's difficult to accomplish in a short time. Add to that a culture change for many corps and that makes the task even more challenging. But the key is to approach it as a challenge rather than a problem and get down to the hard work. My .02 cents

I think that more variety is a good thing. With the amount of talent out there now, diversifying makes perfect sense. The change in design last year may be a key indicator towards what we see coming.