dustyboo
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Posts posted by dustyboo
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Have close to 100 old shirts from primarily the 80’s and 90’s. Anywhere from kids to adult. Some in great shape and some in bad shape. Can email a list and photos. Looking to get rid of cheap. Email is sabj53590@hotmail. Com
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I have almost every Drum Corps World from either 1981 or 1982 until it went digital. Moving and can't haul them along. Always fun to read the scores and see all the old pictures. Would be willing to accept an offer. I live near Madison so it would probably need to be someone close as they are very heavy and would cost a lot to ship. Send me an email. Sabj53590@hotmail.com
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While I would love to see a NE corps here in the midwest I find this whole discussion a little funny. For several years now in the DCI forums we have heard about how getting rid of the circuits and forcing the corps to travel more is killing the DCI corps. Yet, that seems to be what is being propposed for the DCA corps here. How about we build the regional circuits and worry about touring cross country later? Frankly I find it more exciting to not know exactly how the placements will fall prior to championships.
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A short term way to spread the DCA brand outside of the northeast may best be served to a DCI Regional crowd in say Atlanta. Have a limit of 3 DCA corps (minimum for a DCA sanctioned show) so fans get introduced to DCA and to corps outside of that particular region. Instead of say Minnesota Brass going out east they could perform at the regional in Atlanta. The next year or same year say CorpsVets could do the same and travel up to DCI-Minnesota. One year travel could be to Denver or California by other non-eastern corps to continually grow the brand outside of the northeast. The idea is that you can introduce DCI fans to DCA in a considerably safe way to the largest audiences to generate interest in DCA and DCA shows outside of the northeast. Ideally then northeast corps would have time to consistently generate enough revenue to travel outside their region to other DCA shows. Or maybe I'm just crazy and none of this makes sense...
While I'm all for growing DCA in other parts of the country, having a few DCA corps at a DCI regional is essentially how it used to be when DCM was around. At times there were three and I think even four DCA corps that competed in prelims at DCM. I know in addition to the three current midwest DCA corps we had Chicago Vanguard for awhile and a corps out of Kentucky (Bluegrass Brass??) for a few years. Even with all that exposure it really didn't and still hasn't grown the DCA activity in the midwest all that much.
I think part of the issue and I know I will get dinged for this but I do think it is a factor is that the DCA corps don't get really good until late August. It is almost a disservice for DCA to be exposed to the DCI crowd too early in the season as they just don't realize how good these corps really do get by Labor Day. But, because the shows are getting harder and there are only so many weekends to practice it takes them longer to perfect their shows.
I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but when I was marching in DCI in the 80's and as a spectator after that, we enjoyed the "senior corps" for their entertainment value but didn't really think they were that good. Since I started following DCA 5 years ago, and I mentioned this in my Racine review, I'm still amazed at how good they get and how much they improve in the last few weeks of the season. I took some friends of mine that I met through DCI to Annapolis this year and they were all amazed at how good these corps are. Some had seen some of the midwest DCA corps before at a DCI show so they were a little familiar with the DCA side of things but they were amazed at what they were putting on the field by championships.
Now, if you could get a regional close to the end of August that would be awesome but then you have the issues of days off work a week or two before everyone starts needing time off to head to championships.
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So who are the four? We know Star United and Ghost Riders but I still haven't seen an actual line up.
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So...how about all those great performances last weekend in Scranton!! Saw it on the Fan Network and can't wait to get to Annapolis.
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So, I haven't seen a list of mini-corps yet this year. Anyone know who will be there?
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There were four wonderful shows on a full DCA weekend and we have only one review from one show (which was well done!)? Did the DCP world not attend the other shows or have no thoughts on them? I was stuck in the office last weekend and was eager to hear how everything was received.
:sleeping:/>
I was at Racine on the 3rd. I didn't plan on doing a review so I didn't take any notes. With that being said, I have been to the Racine show since 2009 when I first started following DCA. I was amazed that year how much improved the corps were from the first week of August to Labor Day weekend. This year all four of the competing corps IMO were much farther along that I have seen since 2009. Cincinnati Tradition has a little different show than the past couple of years but it is very enjoyable and they certainly are building on what they have done over the past couple of year. The Governaires were highly entertaining as always and even seem slightly larger this year. I was very pleased with what I saw from the Kilties. For lack of a better word, I'll call the show this year safe, meaning they aren't trying to overdue field coverage, etc with the numbers they have. The music is all recognizable and it is just a fun show that should very well be in the mix for a finalist spot. As far as Minn Brass all I can say is WOW. I can't imagine how good the Bucs must be to have beaten them the week before. As many people know I'm not always of fan of the Brass but this year they have me hooked. I didn't want this show to end, it has everything. It is fast paced from start to finish, the brass gets LOUD, the uniform change is fun and I can't wait to see this show again at DCA. Something tells me this is going to be the most exciting DCA since I attended my first in 2009.
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I suppose they could try and hire their own small set of judges away from DCI to judge their small group of Corps every year on the same tours, but that sure would seem to be problematic for them to say the least. And I'm not sure how they'd keep the interests level up on their judges long term if all their judges were doing is traveling around the country from coast to coast, up to Canada ( as you suggested ), and judging the same 7 Corps 25-35 times in a row over a short 7-9 week summer tour. I'd say good luck getting DCI judges wanting to do THAT for very long.
Or who says they will even judge most of the shows. They could do something like have an audience vote and then have real judges only judge one or two shows a month and then a final "championship" show at the end.
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Can seven corps exist without the others? ABSOLUTELY!
The "seven" would be developing a SHOW, not a circuit. A "show" that can be marketed in anyone's community. Well, OK, like BLAST! Why does this whole possibility have to have anything to do about maintaining a circuit? Several ambitious, adventurous, formerly DCI organizations, CAN produce an evening of entertainment that SELLS nightly, even without scores and a broader, more encompassing circuit. I'm old enough to remember the Ice Capades. It was a great afternoon, or evening. No scores were involved. I never cared if there were other goups out there doing something similar. Nor did I wonder whether the people I was enjoying for my money, were concerened about the welfare of lesser skating activities.
This is about creating a SHOW that SELLS. Yes, there are altruistic, educational concerns. That counts plenty! But, if the activity doesn't sell, none of that is possible anyway.
Fire away, my friends!
I pretty much agree that they can do a tour of thier own. We live in a big country. I don't see why they can't all start at one end in June and work their way accross it ending in August. You could easily do 3-4 shows on the west coast, a couple in the mountain states, 2-3 in Texas alone, another 2-3 in the midwest, several between Ohio and the south (including Florida) and then at least 4-5 from Virginia up the east coast. Most of those would easily be hundreds of miles apart and draw a new audience at every performance. They could probably pull off one or two in Canada if they wanted to deal with the border issues. Plus, throw in clinics and other items and to me it seems very reasonable they could survive on their own.
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AND . . . as much as people bemoan attendance figures, its a symptom of a larger issue (or trend, depending on which side of the revenue you're on).
Attendance at events is down. Not just 'drum corps events'. Events. Pro and college sports, concerts, etc. Simply going to see something live is rapidly being replaced by being able to watch it from the comfort of your home on a huge TV and great sound system, or on your phone, or when its convenient for you at a later time.
NFL attendance? Lowest per game average in almost 15 years.
Is it because nobody watches the NFL? No. It's because the product and experience at home is better than being there. This is a trend that will only continue.
Gone are the days that the only way to see something was to go to where it was happening. Every football game is available on my TV, why would I ever miss seeing all of the Sunday games to attend 'one Sunday game'?
Tailgating and the social aspect is still a large factor, but this the prime example of a bigger shift in the culture.
College football and other sports are in the same boat; great product, declining attendance.
The university I went to recently added a 'luxury box-type option' (traditional seats with access to an enclosed concourse, alcohol sales, multiple TV feeds, etc.). The result? Great sales of those seats, at premium prices, but nobody actually sat in the seats and stayed in the box area (making the section look empty) because given the option, I'd rather be in a temp controlled environment and able to move about as I please with a drink in my hand versus sitting on a metal bench against some sweaty slob and his fourteen kids in 95 degree heat.
The sooner that people in charge of things recognize that they can't simply throw up their hands and bemoan low attendance and try to find simple solutions, they should take a step back.
It's likely not the product that has the problem, it's how they're 'delivering' it.
Navy Marine Corps Stadium isn't the product, its the venue. Drum Corps is the product. Do not put up road blocks to those who might view the product to save 'attendance and dvd sales'. That's a dying, close-minded view of the world we live in.
How many parents and friends of members might one day attend Finals. How many would pay $20 (pick whatever number you want) to view it? I guarantee this number, when fully promoted and utilized, is more than 3x the number of folks who are spending the 'big money' on DVDs a tickets.
While I agree with your statements (and I might even watch prelims online rather than go to Rochester again), it is sad for that activity since I believe the majority of the marching members are on the field because they get a thrill out of performing to a live audience. Hard to keep your corps membership up when you are playing to a crowd of 2000 on finals night even though there might be thousands more watching at home. It just isn't the same from the performers perspective.
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I'd probably be willing to bet that really Rochester was the only real bid that was submitted, or at least the most complete. Which of course leads me to say all the complaining about Rochester is for naught because probably they are the only ones who actively want us and our business. Which is obviously great that a city wants us to always keep coming back but what happens when that stops and we are left with no where to go. Scary....but probably closer to being a reality than I'd like to admit.
The announcement said they received many bids. I would be interested to know what other cities put in a bid.
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I think the show in Dekalb this year will be the one to watch and the G7 are probably using that as a gage at how well these shows may be attended in the future. For the past couple of years the TOC show in Rockford seems to have been a sucess. However, I would guess the majority of the people that went to that show were the local Rockford people that went to the 'Show of Shows'every year and didn't have any idea it was anything different than their annual corps show. Now with the MiM show not in Rockford, I think you will see the 'Show of Shows' crowd about the same as it has always been and possibly a large decrease in the number of people that go to Dekalb compared to Rockford.
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If DCA Finals was at the movies, it would create a reason for people to not go to finals. That is why DCI airs only quarter finals I presume.
What if it wasn't live? A re-brodcast say the Thursday night after finals, or a different slow movie day later in the fall? This would give the people that attended the live event a chance to watch it. I know even though I was there I would go to see it again. It would allow the performers a chance see it and it would be a great opportunity for both of those groups mentioned above to invite their friends along to go watch it with them and give DCA some more exposure.
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You can't compare a soccer crowd watching a soccer game in a soccer stadium with a drum corps crowd in a soccer stadium. There are many more good seats to watch soccer in that venue than there are to watch drum corps.
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That's cool.
If Rochester gets to choose between 14,000 (at premium prices) for Women's Soccer and a national tv audience or half that for DCA and its group of whiny, DCP malcontents, I'd suggest DCA has the uphill climb, not Rochester, NY.
You said, "they need to find a real stadium (your exact words) if they expect to compete with Annapolis". Apparently it's good enough for a World Class International event, just not DCA. Not ONE person interviewed for the soccer game had anything but accolades and appreciation. Twice as many happy customers? It seems as if it worked out.
News flash: its a great stadium for DCA. Clean, sharp, good concessions, big concourse, plenty of good seats ... do they build DCA-type stadiums in good neighborhoods somewhere? Yay...Brown St and Lyell Ave aint great. Anyone get mugged? Its 2 blocks from downtown and a mile(!) to the cool coffee shop district.
I dont need a lesson in stadium amenities to recognize insensitivity.
JUST BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE "RIGHT" DOESNT MEAN ITS NICE TO SAY IT.
"Hey, honey...you look fat in that dress" might be RIGHT ON THE MONEY. Just not right to say it, especially if she is putting her best foot forward to look pretty for YOU.
And, having read Kyle's 2nd post, If I misunderstood, I offer my apology.
Regardless, its obvious by all the minuses that Rhino Stadium is not the place for the DCP/DCA crowd to be anything but disappointed in. Send a letter to Gil telling him so, that way he and the committee can eliminate it from consideration. But dont stop with just the complaint part: let him know what you WOULD be "happy" with, too. That way he can set out to please you....as if that isnt the point of the whole thing already.
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um....perchance you need to read closer.
there's this little thing flodding and I believe I saw on the news like 80,000 people in Florida don't have power. DCA corps have had HS kids in them for years that attended finals weekend with few issues.
Um...perchance you should read closer. I wasn't only talking about TBT. I was also talking about the 4-5 mini corps who pulled out in the last few weeks. What did the flooding have to do with them? As far as I know the corps from Orlando is still going to make it. It sounds like it is more of a school issue now rather than weather. Florida is a big state with most of the heavy damage not in the Tampa area. Sure, they may have some kids from other parts of the state but it is highly unlikely (especially if they are as young of a corps as they are) that many of the school age kids are very far from the Tampa area. I'm sure the storm did affect the corps, however I would bet that the storm also gave some of those parents an excuse to keep their kids from not going or missing school when they really weren't for the idea in the first place or even realized DCA would result in them missing school.
And the fact that HS kids have marched DCA for years means nothing. Where I live school typically doesn't start until after Labor Day so it isn't an issue. You can't make a blanket statement and expect it to cover the entire activity.
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So, This won't be a popular subject and I'm sure it will come accross more harsh in a post than I mean it to be but here goes. With the news about TBT not attending championshiops (for whatever reasons) it makes me wonder what the future of the DCA championship weekend will be in a few years. It sounds like the age of their corps is a problem for DCA. No matter what those kids will miss school if they plan on attending championships, no matter what the year or weather.
I just wonder how DCA can expect us, the paying fans to keep forking out good money for tickets in advance when we really don't know how many corps will show up, even a week before the event. How many mini-corps did it look like were going to attend just a few weeks ago and now it is down to 7.
Frankly I'm worried about buying tickets too far in advance becuase it might not be enough corps to justify the travel and expense, it might be worth it to just sit home and watch it online.
Now, again, I fully support a corps decision and DCA and will keep supporting it as long as I can as I think it is a great weekend. Just a little rant and again it probably comes off more harsh than I want it to be.
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Between shows on Sunday, a two minute drive is all you'll need...
Drive north, you end up at the Annapolis Mall and it's food court or Restaurant Park...
Drive south, you end up on City Dock with all of its pub grub...
Drive northwest, you end up in Parole and all of the restaurants listed above...
There is a nice sit down Chinese restaurant (The Canton) right across the street from the stadium...
The city will also have the free "E-Cruzer" shuttles at the stadium to head to Galway Bay (about three blocks from the stadium), City Dock, or anything on West St. (Rams Head, Stan & Joes, or a bunch of fast food)...
Hope that helps!
Jeff
Thank you that does help. I also wasn't aware of the shuttles, that sounds like a great idea.
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With the larger alumni show this year. How much time do you think we will have between that show and finals? Close places to the stadium to grab a good sit down meal or only time for fast food?
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Forte is the FOURTH corps this year that couldn't make it to Indy.
Teal Sound
Racine Scouts
Forte
Velvet Knights
Also, this corps could not make it member-wise to tour this year: Citations.
Another poster made mention of people watching corps in the lot and not seeing the smaller groups. We NEED to support the little guys that struggle every year. We are each responsible in a small, indirect way for not helping these guys out.
I say we start a massive fund-raising drive to help get the corps back on their feet by donating to them. It seems that corporate structure is not an issue, but money is.
It's time for us as a community to band together and help those corps that need it the most, particularly the ones mentioned above.
I'd like to see all of them on the field, IN INDY again in 3 years, tops. I think we on DCP can make that happen.
But wait, electronics are going to save DCI! That is what we were told a few years ago. There will be more kids and fans than DCI will know what to do with. How about corps go back to being corps as the first step. I know a lot of people and money that has left the activity in the last 4-5 seasons due to the electronic issue.
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I have been involved with drum corps, and marching entities, since 1978. However, I got out of trying to do day to day involvement with Drum and Bugle corps due to family issues, and running my IT/Computer business, back in 1996. Now that I have run a "real" company for a while, and have a little freedom, I am looking to get back into Drum and Bugle corps.
If the level of business acumen in Drum and Bugle corps is reflected by the replies to the OP, then no wonder the activity is having problems keeping Corps alive.
I also started a IT/Computer company with $5000(with lots of people telling me I do not look like the type of person who is successfull in Computers) , and now it generates 7 figures a year in gross revenue. Things die off when people give up.
Here are few numbers I ran:
Say a Professional corps started with 50 members. To pay them $35,000 per year each, a company would have to generate $1,750,000 in revenue. Add in another $1 million to cover touring costs for 12-15 weekends during the summer., and it would take $2,750,000 in order to pay the corps, and tour during the summer. The company could factor in cost of doing business, and shoot for a profit.
There are plenty of small businesses who generate that kind of revenue, and much more, per year. ( a friend of mine, who is in smart phone app development, generates more than that with 5 people.) If, as stated in my previous post, the members are employees of the company, and their job description stated that, if hired, they must march in the drum corps, then there would be no problem with it. Also, at $35,000 per year starting salary, it would be enough to get paid doing what one loves. ( I can promise everyone, that If there was a way for me to become a professional drum corps member and get paid to do it, after I aged out, i would have busted ### to be the best player I could, so I could get drafted. That was before I found out about Future Corps.)
It looks like too many here STILL think the way society wants them to think, when it comes to Marching music/Drum and Bugle Corps.(that it is a geeky, nerdy thing for people who are athletic) Well, if you look around, it is the geeky, nerdy people who control the world now. It is the geeky, nerdy people who think out of the box, and probably could make this concept happen.
The amount of revenue you state you would need would not nearly be enough to run the organization. If this is going to be a "real" company then you would have to factor in all the other costs associated with doing business. This would no longer be a non profit organization. You would have to deal with Social Security taxes, health care (not to get too political but there are new rules about offering health care if the law is upheld, unemployment insurance, business taxes among other things. You would have to either have your own HR dept, Payroll or pay another service to manage all of that. Again, not to get too technical but you would have professional musicians and they would be part of the musicians union and demand certain things.
Also, if you are going for the wow factor in order to get the audience you say you can, you aren't going to do it with 50 members. You are going to need to have at least 70 horns tearing your face off for people to pay to see your professional corps. No slam against small corps, I love them all but to be a "pro" organization you aren't going to wow the masses with 20 horns on the field.
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Thanks. Just being Sisyphus and pushing that boulder up again...I know the inevitable result, but am doomed to repeat my actions. At least it has inspired some discussion. Thanks everyone for all the comments, I appreciate even the harshest words sent my way. At least it shows we still have a hugely passionate community out there. More so than any other arts activity I'd say.
My parting words on this topic would be please support the activity and the members who work so hard for you and for themselves. Even if you don't like what's happening right now, at the end of the day those kids lives are being changed for the better. THEY are the stars of the show and possibly the future teachers/designers of drum corps. I think this activity is more about them than us. Give 'em some love, they deserve it. Sermon over, peace!
I still don't understand why I'm told I need to support something I no longer want to support because I don't believe in the direction the activity has gone, just becuase of the kids. Hey you, spend $150 to see DCI finals, even though you won't enjoy it because the kids need your support. I can find (and have found) plenty of other places over the past three years to spend my time and money and have enjoyed every minute of it!
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Don't forget the thousands and thousands of people that would suddenly become DCA fans because amps are now legal. I know DCI can't count their extra revenue fast enough...
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Old items
in DCP Marketplace
Posted
Hi. Have a bunch of old programs, DCI came Dara, a few plastic corps cups, even a sash from the DCM all stars. Looking to unload fairly cheap. Also lots of buttons.