MikeN

If you're using a FFS, then the Yamaha attachment is the easiest as it has a built in tilter. If not, I think Yamaha has an adapter for their older style slots, but you may have to order those from a dealer. For carriers, if you have the money, the Randall May tube carriers are by far the lightest I've used. If you don't, then XL's standard T-bar carriers are great as well. Hope that helps! Mike

Their response sounds reasonable, but remember - you are under no obligation to speak with them. If you *want* to, and feel they're sincere about making changes, then have at it. You can also ask them in the discussion why it took them so long to respond. But if you don't want to, and don't feel they are sincere about it, then don't. This is about your experience, and you don't owe anybody anything. Mike

I'm digging into my 2018 memories here, but I think we were actually required by DCI to add a compliance reporting form. Or it might have been promoted as a best practice. Either way, it's a good idea. We had ours set up to go to our compliance officer (me) and our director, to make sure we didn't miss it. I want to say we got 2 or three submissions in two years, and definitely were not frivolous. Mike

If DCI went away tomorrow, Varsity would provide a new competition structure in a hot minute. The non top-6 corps wouldn't like the new terms, but they wouldn't have much choice either. Mike

Wow - separate camp and tour food managers? Mike

That's also true, and I totally don't dispute that. But this is also a great opportunity for everyone to recognize that the problem exists, review what you have in place, fix what you can and make sure everyone is on high alert, because it's not an isolated-issue-for-future-vigilance, as it was presented to corps back in 2017-18. And while I freely admit that some corps are farther ahead than others in preparation, that doesn't mean there's not something there for each group that has yet to be reported. Mike

Five DCI corps (three World Class, two Open) in the last six years have either disbanded / taken years off due to compliance issues, or had George Hopkins as their director. I can also name another top 12 whose Board Chair and DCI HOF'er during this time who had to resign due to inappropriate conduct, one who has now hired a director accused of covering up for a charged predator, and yet another who has been accused of letting a director skate after being accused of a relationship with a member. It may be unfair to assume *every* corps has a hidden issue, but I would submit it's not something to wave away, either. Mike

I was filling my kiddo (former DCI DM) in on this story, and it struck me hard that we've had, just in the last 6 years: 2017 Cadets / probation, 2018 Pioneer / functionally disbanded, 2019 Oregon Crusaders / disbanded, 2021 Shadow / hiatus, and 2022 Spirit / hiatus due to compliance issues. (I know, that's a euphemistic term.) Mike

That’s what every outsider says when I tell them what drum corps does to knees and hips. Mike

This would not have been a good initial statement either. Mike

Spirit should probably stop writing statements. They’re not really helping themselves here. Mike (Whose job duties include writing statements)

Kind of, but not really. Dan as ED has exactly as much control as the Board of Directors authorizes him to have. The Board, of course, is made up of several corps directors, as well as a few non-corps members. That always has been, still is, and always will be the rub. After the Cadets scandal, they authorized Dan to use much more authority to compel compliance in dealing with member health and safety issues. In other areas, he (and DCI The Office) still has no to little scope in which to act. For the most part, the Board (and by extension the corps, who make up the membership) are content for DCI to act as "the activity" for branding purposes, while as previously mentioned they're just the show promoter and booking agency when push comes to shove. Mike

I'm woke, or at least I try to be. <shrugs> Not sure why it's such a bad word and why everyone's racing to disavow it this week. Mike

So my own corps a few years ago used a bunch of these big standalone props. Quelle surprise, right? Our kids carried them out there themselves, set them up, did their thing, took them down and carried them off the field. Finals night, I am on the sideline, we're scrambling to get off the field and they're one person short on one of them. I figure no big deal, run out there and pick up a corner. I almost fell down, these props were so heavy. Turns out they were solid plywood, and massive. Guessing several hundred pounds. I realize I'm middle-aged dad, but it took the wind out of me just walking back to the trailer. I couldn't believe we'd been having our members tote them around all summer. Definitely changed my mind on props - I went from an "it's fine" mentality to "not unless they're either light or roll." I know the megacorps that have ramps and stages and other fun have creative ways to break them down, but yikes. Mike

This has been on my mind for a while - I've been a drum corps fanboy for 32 years. Doodled uniforms in my school notebooks, recorded the PBS VHS to audio cassette to put in my car. Had shirts from like 18 corps. Never got the chance to try out, so I kept geeking out from afar. Had show posters in my office. Raised my kids on corps. One kiddo ended up being a DCI DM for two years. Happily volunteered with the corps, ended up running the volunteers and becoming a BoD member, and in my final year, Board President and in some areas directly running operations. Got to represent the corps at the annual meetings one year. Got my name in the DCI program one time. So yeah, lived the Drum Corps Fan's Dream, Part Uno. That said, there is *so* much that needs to be examined about how things are done that affect the member experience, in so many different areas - from compliance to risk to sports medicine to nutrition and more. And outside of a few top-tier organizations, I don't know if everyone has the will to have these conversations. I hope they do at some point. Mike

Not as uncommon as one might think. Had it happen twice in two years with Guardians. O_o Mike

I think alt.drumcorps was the predecessor. I joined RAMD on finals night in '96. Mike

I'm not going to backseat drive another org based on a news article, but the quote about not announcing the dismissal because the staff assured them there was just the one kid involved - that's an eye opener. Mike

Doesn't bother me any. Every corps seems to update their logo periodically. Mike

Would have to be 110 with today's 55-seat coaches... Mike

Me too! I absolutely love seeing "non Finals" videos - getting to see the same show from a new angle, or hearing a studio recording where that pesky audience screaming is removed. These days we're awash in bootleg DCI media, so it's extra rare to get new stuff from the 90's. Mike

Speaking from the administrative standpoint of a corps that relied chiefly on member dues, the costs of extra members are far offset by the fees received. Mike

Honestly? I think we'll be back to 2019-standard shows. Now that said, I think we've got a pretty good balance of technical showcase vs. "catchy" stuff right now. But I'm almost 100% certain you won't be seeing old-style uniforms out there again. Mike

That's why Crown has so few fans. Mike

You are 100% correct in this. But it's kind of telling that the year that the judging bumpers were taken off the lane, corps as a block embraced nostalgia and "fan friendliness." The corps are kind of tacitly acknowledging here that there's a disconnect between a show written for the sheets and what would be most appealing to audiences. Mike