UNCGQ

I think I speak for many when I say "can't wait"

Reminded me of a guy I was in college with . . . His father played pro football. His oldest brother played pro football. His older brother played college football (later a pro) at the same university as he atteneded, at the same time. He is now a world renouned clarinetist. It must be odd to be in the marching band playing at a D I school with your brother on the football team. More to the point, must be odd to be 'the one' that didn't partake in the 'family business'. HaHa (for the record, he was by no means a small guy ;) )

HAHA, thanks for the correction, I laughed out loud when I read that . . . shows what you get for posting when you're not paying a darn bit of attention ;) I blame it on the subconscious, had just read the latest WGI recap mag where they profiled Dartmouth HS

Matt Henley does the WCU line. I'm 99% sure that he isn't actively teaching a DCI line although I reserve the right to be blatantly wrong. It lists Spirit of A and Crown in his bio as things he has done. The other ones that come to mind easily are . . . Tom Aungst - UMass Lalo Davila (not currently DCI but made the rounds through PR, Star, etc) - Middle Tenn State Paul Rennick - North Texas I'm sure others can add dozens more . . .

Yes, they're different . . . Yes, they're similar . . . I have no idea why this keeps getting beat into the ground. They're two completely different activities. The make-up of the performers is different. The way that they're scored is different. The rehearsal schedule is different. The budgets are different. The support staff is different. The level of instructional staff is different. The average ability level of the performer is different. The instrumentation on the field is different. The length of shows are different. Yes, let's compare two activities that are this different. Even trying to use the phrase 'HS marching bands' is being grossly generative. How many different 'types' of marching bands are there in the country? More than I care to list. I could apply any generalization I wanted to 'marching bands' and then find a hundred marching bands to directly contradict the statement. With all that said, there seems to be a great numbers of haters out there for "HS marching band" and I'm pretty tired of it. Most of them will freely admit that they haven't been to an actual event with any bands worth seeing in years. Anybody that feels the need to hate on HS marching band I would suggest that they attend a BoA Grand Nats and at least bring themselves to sit through finals. Yes, this activity is vastly different than what you're used to, and they do use X and Y and I'm sure you'd rather be bludgeoned with sticks than listen to X or Y and see them out on a field, but I'm sorry, you can't sit through those twelve bands and tell me that it's an activity that's not worth watching. It may not be what you 'prefer' or are used to in any way shape or form. [disclaimer] none of this was directed at any one person who has posted in this thread, because honestly, I didn't read much of anything in the thread, I'm just really tired of seeing a thousand threads a year on every board about Corps v. HSMB [/disclaimer]

The short answer . . . . as someone once told me . . . "It's all about relationships" anyway, none of this post will be a long collective though but rather a random grouping of short observations (bread crumbs if you will . . .) When Dennis signed on with Pro-Mark recently a good portion of the drumming world lost it's mind. "What Dennis is with P-M now? Wow, I'll sure miss his great sticks, too bad P-M makes some shady stuff". Seems that there is a good portion of P-M bashing these days and I'm not sure why. Granted, a large portion of it seems to be by HS band drummer types who have only played Hardimon's their entire life. They've seen some Pro-Mark sticks, heard about a guy who used some, but VF is clearly superior in their minds. Now BD has signed with Pro-Mark and the collective world loses it mind again. Anybody on the outside seeing a trend here? If Dennis or BD or anybody else with Pro-Mark for that matter thought they made an inferior product why in the world would they sign? If you think it's because of sacks full of money then you obviously don't understand the inner workings of the stick industry. Do any of you actually think that BD would make this move if Scott campaigned actively against it??? I know zero people who have a negative opinion or had a negative interaction with Staci of Pro-Mark. Any of you actually with P-M I'm sure can add (and have) that she is absolutely top notch in delivering service anytime you need anything. The couple of times I've picked up the phone she went way above and beyond in terms of taking care of what I called in regarding to and trust me when I tell you, a phone call from me doesn't warrant somebody's top attention. I'm not an endorser, not a 'name', just a person who uses their product and had an issue I needed her help with (nothing due to the operation or quality of product that P-M produces either). I've found this to be true of everybody I've enteracted with throughout the company. Top notch folks everytime. Without 'telling tales out of school' too much, I know of more than a few (way more) people from all backgrounds, who have negative opinions of certain people with another manufacturer(s). I hear it all the time, even from people who have no 'tie' to any stick manufacturer. Just sayin' . . . "it's all about relationships". My wild prediction is that you might see a press release from P-M sometime next year saying that ScoJo has signed on as an endorser. Just my guess.

I do think that the camera work was a lot better this year, me being completely ignorant to the process of such things. It just seemed that every angle is something that is relevant to what is going on as opposed to years past where it was like I was trying to figure out why I'd want to see whatever I was looking at when I knew something much more important was going on. Not so much a 'post-production' fix as much as the people having a better idea of what they're shooting and what each show will present and when.

I'd be wiling to bet one of my season checks that more than just the "shipping department" is involved anytime that a large mass shipment is going out (Finals videos, etc). So, it does take a bit away from what the organization is trying to actually get done to get the large seasonal shipments out. With that said, for an organization like DCI, who I'm guessing does a large percentage of their business with each year's Finals shipment, to people who are checking their mail boxes incessantly it's sooo much easier to have sent everything UPS and have accurate tracking numbers and ETA's. Case in point. My DVD's took two days to get to my door (I was at Grand Nats so boo on me missing them hitting my front door). If they're sent Priority Mail I don't imagine that it would be significantly cheaper and would be 2 - 3 days to everybody. I had a package (small CD sized bubble wrap package, preprinted label, etc) sent First Class Mail from MD to NC and it took ten days. 10 days. If they charged $7 instead of $11 would everybody shut up??? Me, I'd personally pay $4 for my stuff and have a greater deal of accountability. Having worked for FedEx I can tell you that shipping from a business to a residence is not inexpensive, especially if you're in a 'rural location' (and add on the 'fuel surcharge'). For example . . . if I wanted to ship my DVD's the same distance that they came to me from DCI, via FedEx the breakdown looks something like this. Freight cost -- $5.98 Home Delivery -- $1.85 (what DCI pays to send to your house) Fuel Surcharge -- $0.39 (5% of the total up to this point) "Rural area Delivery" -- $2.20 (pretty obvious what this means) So, it can range from $8.22 to $10.42 It is true that DCI probably does get a discount on shipping but I can tell you that the initial freight cost is never going to be discounted more than 50% and the other costs are never discounted (Home delivery, Fuel, Rural, etc) no matter who you are (just to add, I checked using my FedEx Employee discount so it doesn't get any better than this and it's $7.27 for freight, Home and Fuel so, that's as cheap as it can go period) Then add in the cost of the box, the labels, the packaging, the people that had to package all of it (and or lost man hours if people had to be pulled off their 'real jobs' to help as I'm certain had to happen). I'm just saying, it's not like when you order something on Ebay and shipping is a third the cost of the object and obviously marked up 400%. I'll take the UPS reliability and accountability any day over USPS, esp considering what these DVD's cost us, and considering how foaming at the mouth some of you are to get them in your grubby little hands ;)

Let me preface this by saying that "I HATE the mid-west" With that out of the way . . . "I LOVE Indianapolis". I was in town for Grand Nats last week (my sixth) and Indianapolis just keeps getting better and better for me. I usually go up a few days early (drive up on Sunday from NC) and just hang out in the city before the craziness begins. This year it was seeing the Canal District, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and lots of quality time at Nicky Blaine's (oh, and Pacers game that I left with about 6 minutes to go in the 2nd, man I hate pro basketball). I'm really looking forward to it next year for Finals and in the years in the future. Looking for the 'regular hang'? It'll be Rock Bottom, somebody should call in advance and warn them.

I was at Finals this past weekend and will add my two cents. I'm a big homer of both Avon and L.D. Bell and so that's my 'baggage' coming into this . . . L.D. Bell's shows in recent years aren't necessarily something you can watch on a computer monitor or TV and fully "get". Having shown the "stream" to a few people since getting back they were pretty critical of the show. I've made the statement several times that Bell's shows aren't "marching band", they're "emotional experiences" and that was very true this year. If you were in the stands for that show you couldn't help but be completely wrapped up in it. You didn't care that the girl sang a ton, that the band didn't play as much because of it, you just sat there and watched it unfold. Seeing high school kids (and that many of them) on a field "performing" at that level is really amazing. The hardest thing I have ever tried to teach my kids isn't marching at insane tempos or having a great ens sound. It's getting them to be able to "perform" in a theatrical manner. To think on their own and act instead of "march". To see an entire band of kids that can sell a show like that it what I really appreciate. With all that said, I also absolutely loved seeing Avon that night as well. I had a chance to hear their winds play earlier in the week and I can honestly say that I would pay money to hear that ens play, they're that good. and . . . after all that, it's like Apples to Oranges and yes, that is the direction that marching band is quickly being hastened. Theatrical. It's a debate like any other but if it's watching L.D. Bell or a high school that puts three 70's rock tunes and a ballad on the field, I know which one I'm choosing. It's about entertaining and who can perform at the highest level while doing it. L.D. Bell entertained and did it while performing at a very high level.

Another one of the 'benefits' to hosting a 'championship' style event in the same location every year. Yeah, for those who are great at 'leaving places like they found them' this should work out really well for them year after year. I imagine that b/c of DCI Midwest and BoA Grand Nats many schools in the area are already accustomed to 'hosting' groups and or providing rehearsal facilities. Indy will be a great city for this event for years to come. It regularly hosts events that absolutely dwarf what DCI Finals means in terms of spectators and every year hosts BoA Grand Nats which dwarfs DCI DI Finals in terms of participants. A hundred hs school bands (with many over the 135 member number) with all their "crap" (props, etc)? The logistics of DCI Finals should be a piece of cake compared to a Semi/Finals Saturday of BoA Grand Nats. (and that "crap" comment wasn't a "anti HS band" comment. I'm a visual program coor for a HS program and so I'm the guy who asks for all that "crap").

I think there will be a pretty high demand for 2008 since it is in Indy. So much of the music activity is there already it's a town many are familar with through the Indy DCI events, BoA, etc. and are more likely to visit.

And Allentown back to it's rightful spot in the schedule . . . ;) and yeah, I know nothing of the above situation being described but you can hide a large capacity stadium pretty well. Ours is 60K or so and trust me when I say that you could walk around campus and new to the area and have a hard time finding ours because it's surrounded by trees (in the heart of the campus). I'd much prefer a 'scenic' stadium to a large structure on a large flat piece of land. Zero character.

Yeah, I think that's the one thing that keeps me from running from it is that it hasn't been overly exposed in my area. If I heard a show a thousand times from a thousand differenct bands I'd def run from it . . . (If I ever hear one more show having anything to do with pirates in any way shape or form I might just off myself right there in the stands). p.s. thanks for your 'movitational poster' style sig line . . . I think of it often . . . "Elephants . . . larger than the moon"

The only time I really groan is when the band's 'level of competency' leaves a lot to be desired and it's obivous that they've reached a little far for their ability level. One of the bands in our area is doing the Cavies 007 show and I just groaned when I heard that they picked the show. Not a good choice for their group. I mean, KM playing Niagra Falls, that's fine by me. I'll look forward to seeing it at Grand Nats. But if a band plays a show and after seeing/hearing it I absolutely need to pop out the DVD and revisit the show so I can get the 'badness' cleared from my head, then, well, probably not a good choice for that group. I think lots of directors think that by choosing a corps show it makes the show as a whole 'that much better' and that it will require less creativity/effort to pull together. Similarly, the college group I work with sometimes plays stuff (which most every D-1 college band does, esp if they have to go the 'new show every home game route') which is a little above the level of the members (I'm sorry but a band full of non-majors at a Top 25 University aren't Arturo Sandoval) and I keep the 'real version' of the music in my car that week so I can listen to it on my way home to 'cleanse the pallate'. So, the short version is . . . can your group make a run at a BoA Regional? If so, go right ahead, play anything you want. The one corps show I would probably like to attempt at some point is the Millenium Celebration show (Cadets 2000) and put a 'show concept' around it.

I'm too am in the 'pro Key bandwagon'. I like his stuff and I've always liked him. From the night I met him (in a bar in Indy) he was always a great guy to me and I'm proud to say that I purchase his shows for the marching band I'm the Visual Prog Coor for and have been very happy with the writing and our results. (We usually change the show theme but that's more because I'm an eccentric haha). SCV 03 -- 05, really, people don't like that stuff???? Come on now. Toodles -"GQ"

I was wondering about the 'heard in the stadium' penalty these days as I sat in Allentown and heard clear as day The Cadets warming up really close to the stadium (esp considering how much room was left in the park by the time they performed). The RCA Dome will be torn down but it will be turned into convention center as soon as it's taken down in April (iirc) so it won't 'rotate' parking lot spots with the new stadium.

Just pop in 100 South Capitol Avenue. That's by no means 'the address' but it's gonna pop everything that's within the 'walkable distance'. I so hoped that you had been to Indy before so I could use the line "You remember that huge parking lot next to the RCA Dome? Well, it's a stadium now." Toodles -"GQ"

like was stated earlier, this may be the most perfect post ever . . . Toodles -"GQ"

It's a given that the field at Finals for the next ten years or so should be of pretty high quality . . . . Toodles -"GQ"

um, that sir was quite possibly the post of the day . . . And correct me if I'm wrong folks but isn't the DCI recap broadcast on ESPN2 "all about" exposing as many people as humanly possible to the activity of drum corps". It's not the public broadcast of DCI's mission statement.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joereifer/410834509/ what breaks down in the desert stays in the desert . . . . Toodles -"GQ"

I'm constantly amazed at the amount of "band hate" that goes on from 'corps people'. I just assume that these are the type of people that went to a crappy HS program and excelled in spite of it and have never been to a BoA Grand Nats. I'd never try and 'compare' the two actvitities but suffice it to say there's a huge place in my heart for shows such as L.D. Bell's show last year. And now that DCI is moving to Indy I'll be making two annual trips to the mid-west for each activitiy's "Championships" instead of just Grand Nats. Well, I don't even count WGI Finals as a 'big mid-west trip' since it's in the mighy city of Dayton, OH :) But oh the good times I've had at the Holiday Inn there haha.

I've often wondered this myself when I attend WGI Finals every year. There is no lack of interest in the 'indoor' style activity and I def think that a 'small ensemble' category would def be pleasing to watch and fun to perform.

is there a single thread on this board that won't turn in to a "Cadets thread" as some point if left to it's own devices???? Geez. Give it up people, if you want to rail on either side of an argument you can't win go protest for/against stuff like abortion and the death penalty. It's like screaming at a wall. Sorry, rant over. Don't get me wrong, I was pulling hard for BD this year to win it all but in terms of recent Devils shows, for me it's not as 'stimulating' as 06, 04 or 03. I mean, if I gotta pick last year's show versus this year's, I take 06 in a heartbeat, it's just that it ran up against a "Machine" last year. (and I'd def take that show over this one). (and yeah, the drum line this year isn't quite to the level of 'insane BD drumlines' that were accustomed to). Toodles -"GQ"