Guardguy89

So I was lucky enough to be able to watch a video of Mayflower!!!!! They will be another solid contender this year at WGI. Very intricate weapon work and a gorgeous flag book (as usual!). The performers seem very strong - so it will be exciting to see where they end up once they enter the mix! Later, Mike

Just watched Minooka Community HS (Scholastic A) at the St louis Regional - wow - what a great show!!!!!! Later, Mike

hey Will - did you get to see any of the CA guards live yet - now that you're a Californian ;0) Later, Mike

I'm really liking Zydeco's shows (Both World and A). There is something really creepy / cool about Zydeco's World show. Anyone have any info on the exact theme? Later, Mike

I agree - great show. Must be even more awesome in person! Later, Mike

So I was able to watch some shows on the Fan Network (I love this feature!!!!) Some thoughts: Blessed Sac is alot better than the video I saw earlier this year - I really appreciate what they are doing - very complex and beautiful soundtrack - strange ending though -and shouldn't their floor be white??? Black Watch - very cool - and the rifles at the start were great!!!! Love the ending. Sometimes too conventional though - you know???? (Kind of funny if they go on back to back with Braddock at WGI!) Alot of macabre / death shows this year All of the O guards (Onyx, O2 and O3) are simply fabulous - wow - the depth of talent and training in those 3 groups is amazing Pride - I don't know - not sure - again music choices this year aren't doing it for me Still have a ton I need to watch!!!! Later, Mike

Hi all, The overage members in Les Eclipses were called out after their semi's performance at DCI. I'm hazy as to the details (I joined the corps in '85). They were disqualified from DCI, but for some reason still made the recordings (audio and video) - but the 15th place standing was stricken. It was a well known "secret" in Quebec that once you aged out from your corps, you could just go to Les Eclipses. Which is why I never joined them. Once they got the disqualification though, my corps folded and we decided to give them a chance. It was rough at first. We had about 12 horns at rehearsal, most of a drum line and as always a full guard (which was always there strong point). '85 was a really tough year. We had shows all over the United States and always had to appear first (meaning 8am at regionals). Alot of times we left right after pur performance in order to make it in time to the next show - sleeping for a couple of hours in the parking lot as we didn't have time to get back to the school for floor time. The lack of show fees (as we weren't a DCI member anymore) meant we were lucky to get 2 meals a day sometimes! But it really bonded us as a corps. We were determined to be a better corps than any other Eclipses corps - and build a fan base along the way! To this day, it remains one of my favorite summers ever!!!! Later, Mike

wait...people committed suicide over this????? Mike

Well houses and furniture seem to be popular again this year (Vanguard, Imbue, Mayflower...) and not sure why Imbue is using a poem in Russian - it's hard to get into the emotion of the show when you don't understand the intent of the poem. Also -strange show choice by Diamente. I absolutely loved their skull cap ritual show last year - it was different and out there and crazy and memorable. Their Eric Clapton show this year seems so out of place and "safe" Later, Mike

Thank You!!!!!!! :worthy: :worthy:

Pride of Cincinnati also did this at WGI in the early '90's. I figure it would be way too hard to ever get clean (kinda like using umbrellas in guard - uncleanable!!!) Later, Mike

Exactly- Ensemble refers to the overall product and it's success in being cohesive and well thought out...an "ensemble" moment doesn't mean a higher ensemble score. Later, Mike

They've had them taken down. So far I'm not seeing alot of unison in World class this year. I know that programming a show with 32 individaul shows that interact seamlessly is extremely difficult to program effectively, and I absolutely loved Onyx last year (World and Open). I just don't want to see everyone doing this now because that's what's winning. I can't wait to see Pride because they never follow a trend and program very intuitively - which I love! Later, Mike

I've only seen them on youtube...but I have seen Onyx and Blessed Sac. Really not sure about either show right now...although to be honest its hard to tell from a Janaury video at a first show! Still, not a huge fan of the "everyone does their own thing for the whole show" approach of programming that seems to popular now. I'm sure they'll work it out though! Later, Mikr

Very proud at how Cavies never gave up this summer and worked extremely hard to max out the show that they were given! I know how hard it is to march a "down" year and the effort it takes to never give up! Later, Mike

They were in at least throughout last tour. we toured 2nd tour with them that year and was amazed that they had to probably bring a helium tank on tour to create that effect every night!!! I loved that show - just not while I was competing against it Later, Mike

That's exactly what Im thinking. His programs and ideas haven't been exactly stellar for a while now! Not sure this is great news for Vanguard or their guard program! Later, Mike

Well, I guess you can choose to believe whatever you choose to believe - I have marched with and taught most of Quebec's best drum corps and winterguards - but I guess I'm not an expert on the subject. Later, Mike

"Most documented" -doesn't necessarily mean "right". I was in the corps, and have been part of the Quebec drum corps scene as a member and instructor for the past 35 years - so I kind of have a better view than Daniel on this matter. Just want to put things in perspective! Later, Mike

Hi just to clarify: 1) Yes there were overage members in '84. No there were not "A ton" - there were a couple. We weren't the only ones - but we were the only ones that got caught. We paid a heavy price for it the year after. But never used it as an excuse or complained about it - it made us a stronger, better corps 2) We never stole members from other Quebec corps - members just gravitated towards Les Eclipses once they reached a certain point with their own corps as we were the best Quebec had to offer. That made us a target - and we were often vilanized by the other corps who lost members to us. Later, Mike

That's true - alot of drummers and a couple of guard and horn people ended up there too! Their drum major in '88 (Nathalie) was also from Les Eclipses! Later, Mike

Yep, we usually sucked the bag at the beginning of the year. One year we were even beat by a division II (or A-60) corps at the startof the season!!! School here in Quebec lets out end of June - so we usually started the season with half a show done and about 30 holes on the field. But man did we work hard - it was just part of who we were as a corps - we always said that we needed to be twice as good as an American corps just to be considered on par with them. After the '86 season - we just couldn't keep the corps afloat financially. We merged with Connexion Quebec for one year ('87) and that was pretty much a disaster. The two groups never really meshed and the show was not written to the caliber we (Les Eclipses) were used too. In '88 we pretty much all went on to march in American corps and ended up with Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, Vanguard, Star, Magic, Madison Scouts, etc... Later, Mike

Not that hard to get if they know in advance that they would be touring Canada Mike

Yeah, I was excited by all the talk and surveys that went out about DCI shows coming back to Canada - but none have appeared on the schedule Later, Mike

Not at all. Just figured that there would be a definitive answer either way. This makes it sound like the issue might be alot more complex. Later, Mike