craiga

Well, THAT cat is out of the bag.. .

So, I wouldn't be fulfilling my job as a BAC fan if I didn't post today that Boston Crusaders fly into Castleton two weeks from today and begin rehearsals two weeks from tomorrow! And, I believe the drum line moves in a few days earlier. It is time!

I have heard the same. Fun fact: one of SCV'S lead trumpets joined BAC last year when they pulled the plug. The guy will be heading to Vermont in a few weeks to prepare for his second (and I think, ageout) season with Boston. I wouldn't presume to speak for him, but the fact that he is returning probably speaks for itself.

I know zero about the culture inside SCV, other than what I read here on dcp.

Well, let's hope this year's staff doesn't gather in Indy for a group photo while flipping everyone off. That was 16 months ago, and had nothing to do with GR.

Chief, bass drummer with the initials AST aged out from BD 2022, having marched BAC the prior year. She went to BD because her significant other had aged out in 2021 and wanted to be on staff in 2022, but BAC management wouldn't allow that. She is a wonderful drummer and a super all around person.

I would be very surprised to see SCV outscore the Mandarins in anything other than percussion this summer. I have heard from multiple sources that SCV has a younger hornline this year, which is frankly to be expected. Glad they're back...just hope they're able to improve the dismal toxic culture that their alums talk about.

Yeah, some kid on reddit recently also posted that Boston was a new corps who started with unlimited money. When I informed him that BAC was founded in 1940 with no money and ran on a shoestring for 75 years, (most of which taught by an all volunteer alumni staff) until they tripled the size of their BOD in 2015, he had no knowledge of it. Btw, this also means that the Boston Crusaders are now the oldest top 12 drum corps in DCI.

So, I don't have access to any snippets of the corps, and if I did, I'm not tech savvy enough to post them here in any case. But, I have heard from multiple members that this year's show takes "alot of risks" that they haven't attempted before. I keep hearing this but I have no details...other than two 4 year vets told me they have never done anything like this. I literally don't know what they are referring to. As a 64 year old, avid supporter of them, BAC could play Mary Had a Little Lamb and I would cheer them on. It seems as though the design team and upper management at Boston have reinvented themselves. I get that BD is as close to being inevitable as you can get to winning yet again, but BAC apparently is thinking "not so fast...". In any case, they will be flying to Vermont exactly three weeks from tomorrow, and Max and I will probably make the 4 hour drive up to the Green Mountains at some point the following week.

I rest my case.

Terri, please predict Boston in 4th so they can win this year! 😀

That's not called for. This is a pretty congenial place, and while folks like LabMaster and Chief Guns certainly don't need me to ride to their defense, you should know they are great members of this community. Don't make this site into a Charles Foxtrot by getting personal.

Chief, again we are in agreement. People act as if Mandarins and SCV are competing for local kids. They are not. In the same vein, there is a thread on reddit suggesting all the Cadets might go to Surf because they are local....as if the Cadets were full of local New Jersey kids. These are obsolete notions. Most kids in drum corps probably come from Texas anyway! 😀

I donated to two BAC members this spring, and what Boston did was match my donation toward the member's fee. So, $1000 ended up reducing the member's fee by $2000, and so on. I thought it was genius.

Jeff, my only problem with you is your steadfast refusal to capitalize the first letter of your sentences! (Former English teacher here 😀)

Yes to this. First off, for those who don't know him in person, Colin is a man of extreme integrity. Second, there are now over a dozen former Cadets who are members of BAC, including DMS Wes and Joe. Very easy to send them some support!

Safe travels to all the members and staff heading to San Antonio for camp today! Looks like it will be a beautiful day to fly for our New England and Florida members, as well as a great day to drive across town for our San Antonio members! 😀 Seriously, Castleton is now less than a month....I LOVE this time of year!

Lol! Funny you should ask....for years, I have been comparing F1 racing to DCI'S Top Twelve! Until recently however, I have referred to Lewis Hamilton (Team Mercedes) as the Blue Devils of that sport. Incredible organization, limitless funding, and unbridled winning. Max Verstappen is now surging in the sport....hmmm...perhaps the BAC of F1, Chief?? 😀

I, for one, don't even know what drum corps are talking about anymore!

BAC has their first and last full corps camp this coming weekend, and as of then, we will be only four weeks away from Spring Training in Castleton, Vermont. This year, they will only be up there 17 days, with the rest of pre-season on locations closer to the Boston area. Along with several local performances, many of us are thrilled to have the corps closer to the Hub. Can't wait for the start of the season!!!!

Not us, Jurassic.... 😀

This is true. Not only that, but back when I was alive (80s), there wasn't anything like a 60 day tour which had to be staffed. DCI had what amounted to 2 two week tours....we even referred to them as Tour A and Tour B. So, drum corps staffs just made sure to all get those specific weeks off to go on tour. It is difficult to get staff these days to be able to get 60+ days off from their jobs so that's why they cycle in and out and more staff are needed to cover the rehearsals.

Chief, you know by now, no whining and crying from me! Personally, I think they have a 60% chance of getting a "fourpeat". But there are several teams who will also bring their A game this summer, so we'll see what happens!

If it was any other corps, I would think somebody screwed up. However, this is the Blue Devils, so it is probably them being all crafty and subtle. Like I have been saying for decades, if they were to go out in their opening set and take a poop on the 50, DCI judges would say they were making a statement on the futility of one man's struggle in a byzantine society. If Boston or Bloo did that, they'd say "get a shovel!" LOL! But seriously, good luck in 2024 BD!

Yeah, saying that DCI knew the end was coming and "gave" Cadets the 5th place finish was conspiracy theory, clueless, and just plain stupid. The Cadets came in 5th because they were better than everyone beneath them, including this woman's beloved Regiment. They deserved their placement, and I say this as a Boston supporter.