socalcontra

I haven't been on all season because of the hatred I've heard regarding this years Blue Devils' show. I've waited for this moment to come and I knew they would win from the start. Yes, Crown, Phantom and even the Cadets and SCV had great shows this season-but not as great as the Blue Devils. Yes, I'm bias-but that's to be expected. I also liked Madison's show this season because it was, well-Madison (highly entertaining). I don't expect people to come out and say they like the Blue Devils this season because the show has no drum corps appeal to the average fan. You simply aren't going to listen to the mp3 of the corps' performance and like it because it's not -that- kind of drum corps show. I marched in '82 and people LOVED the show-and many still do. Those of the 2012 Blue Devils are probably not going to hear how people loved the show-but again, I don't honestly think they care. They won and they were crowned the champions by the judges-so blame them and not the kids, they're the experts. If you feel cheated that they didn't play a "Blue Devils" kind of show this season-that's something you can take up with their design staff. They were the Blue Devils and they did what they had to do-be the best they were supposed to be. Agree or not-they are this year's champions and deserve the respect for obtaining that placement. I may or may not be back to read the positives and/or the negatives of the post-why bother, either you agree or disagree-that's entirely up to you. I am very proud they won like we did 30 years ago. Congratulations to the 2012 Blue Devils!

Yes, yes we did!

BD hornline in '83 trying to do streamers in drum solo. Not exactly easy to do while carrying a contra bass. It didn't last long, but the pouches they sewed into the sashes made a great place to put candy in for retreat!

Best horn book Key Poulan has written for SCV (IMHO)-and I am in the VAST minority with my BD alum friends. I heard a lot of good musical ideas when I saw them in so cal. I even got on my own kid for being a red team hater. Always gotta respect the competition-especially the red team.

AGREED! I was just trying to clarify and clear up any misinformation.

In '82 the big deal was BD meeting up with Phantom at DATR. Yes, we as marching members were hyped and a bit concerned that we would face Phantom after they were beating up everyone in the midwest. We knew what was at stake and we went out and performed one great show. I cannot escape the similarities of '82 and the recent events with BD and The Cadets at DATR Saturday night. Will they win #14 this season-looks like it to me (at this point). BTW, with recent events, Phantom did catch BD in '08, so as John Oppedisano (one of our marching instructors) said to us in '82, anyone can win DCI that night. Obviously it CAN be done-nothing in DCI is a guarantee.

I was there in '83, and it was one sop who got cut, not two. Yes, to this day I believe it was a raw deal for that person to be cut because but obviously there is nothing I could do at that time as a marching member to change the decision of the staff. Did I voice my displeasure, yes-did it do any good-no. Also, for the record, the person's spot was filled by someone who had previously marched in BD who had not been involved with the corps up to that point in '83. Also #2 for the record is the person who was cut ended up being in a corps that season-the staff made sure that person had a place to march. Again, maybe for the conspiracy people she could have been marching that spot for the person who finally ended up with it, but I'll never know. Maybe you could ask Wayne Downey about it-of course he doesn't answer my emails about current BD stuff, so I doubt he'll answer yours about a situation that occured over 20+ years ago. Oh, and I highly doubt it that anyone in '83 Madison would have left for a spot in BD because their show absoulutely rocked!

I did take time to think about it yesterday while I was at school. I always try to bring the "highest standards" to my music program. OASAASLLS!

Try heaving the ring on a leather-clad hand! Those of us in the contra line who had them would just wear ours on our right pinky finger. Ken's right, I don't think anyone would really go that far in the thought process. Dave's plan was to make the newer rings larger to not be worn while marching a show. I don't know if that's something they follow now-but I think if you've earned them-you wear them!

I haven't been on DCP much at all this season, because, honestly, I'm just sick of all the bashing BD takes. Sorry if it seems like gloating-but it is! Hate, flame, whatever you like to do. The Blue Devils organization just took the Open and World titles today at DCI. It's becoming obvious the Blue Devils are what the Yankees, the Lakers, etc are to sports. Having both corps from the same organization win and yet do it undefeated all season long, stands as a milestone for the activity as a whole. That being said, I will congratulate Carolina Crown on taking the Jim Ott brass award tonight and not in the distant future we will see Carolina Crown win their own DCI title outright. I am impressed with their growth as a drum corps and it's groups like Crown, The Cavaliers, The Cadets, Phantom Regiment and my good friends and competitors at the Santa Clara Vanguard who have also pushed the envelope in the junior drum corps activity and made the Blue Devils be originators and/or change their styles to forge ahead in the competitive arena. All in all, a great season by drum corps in general and specifically the Blue Devil organization.

Thanks-I'm sure those who played along with me in those fabulous horn lines would be pleased that people still get chills thinking about how we wailed on those horns in the "good 'ol days." I also agree that Madison has always seemed to be a "master" of parking and ripping off your face with their horns. Finally, I'd also like to say that I agree that for sheer power 1980 Spirit of Atlanta was incredible with their volume of sound. You really can't beat horn lines that play G horns for the magnitude of sound they could produce.

Ok, Im on that part of the site-but how do you access the music-or is that possible now?

I marched with a dislocated spine the last week of my age out year. Seems my back decided to make a question mark without my permission. The funny thing was that you could actually see my back out of alignment, but everyone decided to ridicule me because of it (as if I was trying to make us loose DCI by not rehearsing). I was in absolutely terrible pain and I was eating Persogesics (practically). It happened on Monday morning and by Thursday I had made an attempt to be at most of the rehearsal. Now, mind you I played contra, so not only would I have to march like that with about 40 lbs on my left shoulder, but I also had to hoist that horn over my head at the end of the show in the "victory" position BD did at the end of the prelims/finals show during that era. It was something I had to dig deep to do, but I finished the season marching. That pretty much was the last time I'd either play contra or sousaphone (in the college band) for many years to come. It kind of felt "weird" this summer playing a Bb marching tuba for the alumni performance because those memories came back in my mind.

I did that after I aged out in '84. That was the first of 3 years in Madison, which I was at all three in a row (pretty good feat considering I was a full time college student finishing my undergrad degree and doing my student teaching the last of the 3 years there). I agree with Michael that you do see things you wouldn't have seen as a "general" spectator in the crowd. There's much more "behind the scenes" stuff you are aware of because of your experience(s) in drum corps. It was great to also be there because there were people I had marched with in the Blue Devils that were in the corps those 3 years in Madison. It was then I knew I wanted to be a drum corps judge, which I did for 10 years. Also, I think when you do get involved in something "senior corps" oriented you also have a greater desire to be a part of the drum corps experience. That was true with my involvement with the Blue Devils alumni experience this past summer. I have since done other musical activities with people I have met during this experience (as evident with our picture at Tuba Christmas in L.A. this year-BD Alums at Tuba Christmas LA). We did 3 Tuba Christmas events this year and we are now talking about doing more playing together as a group (with other drum corps age-outs). The drum corps activity does not need to stop the last time you are at retreat at your last Finals-you can move to other musical activities that are inclusive of your experience in drum corps.

It was incredible. I sat down at the rail with my son and we proceeded to have our faces blown off. Classic 2nd run-through for the Blue Devils. You know, once you take all the pressure off of competing, you get to hear the show how the audience really wants to hear the show-loud and proud! You made this alum very happy! ^OO^