craiga

Thank God for Liahona....again!

Boston will be fine...as BRASSO will probably point out, the combined general effect captions are worth roughly 8 times what the Visual Performance caption is worth, hence a decision by the design team to invest time in mid-July in the new ending is clearly sensible. Yes, they're working on the details of the feet, but in the upcoming large venues, the GE elements take precedence. Great work by the staff and members in another extremely competitive season!!

I should think that the Cavies and Madison should admit whomever the heck they want into their groups. They are private organizations, and clearly have had great success over a huge period of time. I would also note that both continue to be more diverse than, say, the Boy Scouts of America. Nothing to see here.

Both Madison and BAC have benefitted greatly from this during the last two seasons, and it is great to see Blue Knights join the fray. This is essentially incremental money for all three corps, so all three will benefit, regardless of the eventual winner. Although much discussion here in DCPland has been on BD and Crown during the past few days, please remember that corps like these three have virtually the same tour expenses as the top two...just less budget. BAC won it the first year and Madison won it last year. Who will it be this time, now that BK has joined the challenge? Game on!

I find it curious that SOME dcpers here carry on and on about Cavies show being the worst thing apparently in the history of drum corps, YET these same folks put Boston beneath the Cavies in their predictions. So to follow this logic, are some people saying that Boston is actually not as good as the WORST Cavies ever?? Perhaps, some dcp folks are guilty of their own slotting.......? Makes one wonder...

Many fans complained the shows ran too long last year---so DCI changed to a combined finale at the end, I believe.

If you ask the guys in Boston's "tuba" section, they will tell you they refer to themselves as "BACCBS"....which stand s for BACContraBassSection....and I think that goes back at least 25 years...

Rifuarian is correct...the problem, imo with Florida drum corps has never been lack of kids. The lack of kids issue, however, IS a problem in the Northeast. Each year, BAC hosts an audition camp in Lynn, MA in late November/early December. I attend this every year, and usually bring a couple of my band kids. We generally see 20-30 kids show up. The following week, the corps hosts its audition camp in Bradenton, FL. This past year, nearly 200 showed up. If we accept as fact that the problem in FL is organizational, then perhaps BAC has hit upon the perfect "hybrid"....tons of talented kids from the Southeast backed up by a solid, 72 year-old organization in Boston with a strong corps director and a board of directors with over 100 years of combined drum corps experience. As we speak, BAC has 85 horns on tour right now....80 on the field and 5 alternates. Although the percussion section and guard are more diverse, more than half of the brass players hail from the Sunshine State. It would seem student interest is not the problem, at least in this part of the country.

Brig, unfortunately, you are correct....all the "official" DCI master tapes featuring BAC pre-1981 WERE in fact lost in a fire at the old DCI HQ in Illinois back int the day.....actually, everything that's NOT to 12 from the 70's, I believe---been looking for years..... Craig

Great job last night, Boston. You have a whole lot of alumni very proud of you....last night's placement is icing on the cake. You are all GIANTS.

I don't have FN, so I'm having to experience tonight's show through everyone's comments..so I have to ask: Who is better, Cavies, or Boston? Thoughts?

Liahona, with hurricanes down south, wild fires out west, and tornados in the midwest and south, I thank my stars that I live in New England.....yeah, we occasionally get snow and ice storms, but nothing that ever requires us to run for cover...

The kid's name was John, and he once told me it was USUALLY a 12....which leads me to believe that it might have varied from time to time...regardless, it was exciting and a blast to watch, especially when he caught it (which he usually did).

And, we're off...... Surely, you would acknowledge that this "month in California" is the first time in 72 YEARS that "a corps from Boston" has done such a thing? For those folks who are not from New England (which must include you since you would otherwsie know better), the Boston Crusaders have ALWAYS spent their preseason/move-in in New England. In addition, the corps has traditionally performed in the Bunker Hill and Dorchester parades, the Quincy and Dedham Flag Day parades, and most years FOUR parades on July 4th. In fact, over the last few years, the corps has ADDED Boston area performances, if for no other reason than it now hosts no less than THREE DCI shows in the Boston area, plus its annual Spring Fling performance. To set the record straight, the BAC now has roughly DOUBLE the amount of public performances in the Boston area than it did when I marched over 30 years ago. The corps' local footprint is now larger than ever, not smaller. As part of a bargain with the California corps, BAC committed to a West Coast tour this year for the first time in its history....and it has borne fruit. Last summer, BOTH BD and SCV came to the home show in Lawrence, MA, and this year SCV is coming again. It is disingenuous to suggest that this organization is somehow undeserving of support. I further reject the hyperventilations on this thread and others about the demise of drum corps being imminent due to the untimely demise of Teal Sound. The sad truth is that only the uppermost management of Teal truly knows the reasons for their debacle. While tragic for the kids and staff, Teal folding is no more a harbinger of the death of our activity than was the sudden demises of Northstar, 27th Lancers, Bridgemen, Defenders, Alliance, Bengal Lancers, and all the other World Class New England drum corps who folded 20-30 years ago. Perhaps your time might be better spent supporting the corps who are still getting it done rather than denouncing their tour decisons? And for the record, BAC will have no trouble selling out it's show on August 2nd in Lawrence, MA, with or without you.

I think this comment says it all....

Yes, Charlie Benardo has one more year after this one.

Not sure But I will say that this is DM Thompson Vou's fourth and final year as DM----he is a great DM and he will be missed........

If BRASSO starts speaking French again, I'm outta here!

Thanks! Does this mean that Boston is on AFTER Int?

Anyone in Iowa tonight?

The Teal Sound situation (that's what I'll call it since I do NOT know the facts behind the scenes) is not analagous to BAC 1982. Boston did, in fact, finish their season that year including going to Nationals and competing with its full membership and staff. Their reorganization happened in the off season.

At the show in Quincy, MA three nights ago, yes, the "CYO Nationals", the show began with a prayer by a Catholic Monsignor praying for the good health and safety of all the particpants. Nobody died or burst into flames. Really.

Yes, there is a network of kids from a wide variety of corps who get together at shows during their free time after they perform. They locate each other via their cell phones and they come together each evening for spiritual time. I frankly was completely unaware of this until several BAC members told me about it last summer on tour. With the modern touring demands, I can forsee no way in which a corps could provide church time on Sundays.

It should be a full panel tonight, and parking isn't as bad as it looks. And BRASSO, I live in SOUTHERN MAINE, so it's only 90 minutes from my house as long as traffic is moving freely over the Tobin Bridge~ Should be a great show!