AnnouncerMonkey

For the record, yes, I mis-spoke. Indy was FN. Akron is theaters. Ad libbing and rolled right over it. Sorry for any confusion. Dan

Interviewed in this episode: J.D. Shaw (Santa Clara Vanguard), Don Hill (Phantom Regiment), Andre Feagin (The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps), Lee Beddis (@MadisonScouts), Glen Crosby (Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps), Dean Westman (Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps) and Michael Gaines (The Cavaliers). Also interviewed in this episode, the one and only Mike Boo. Find out if he's switching teams!

The latest Field Pass, to be released today, tracks many of the staff changes that have occurred since the end of the season...including Michael Gaines departure from The Cavaliers. Me; "Are you adamant about this? I mean, if a really great offer comes along in the next couple of months, is it something that's just, no, I'm not even going to consider it?" MG: "No. I'm definitely taking the summer off. If I was going to do drum corps this summer it would be with the Cavaliers. Nope. No drum corps for me this summer. Hopefully as a spectator..." Dan

Mr. Sondheim addressed the same topic of audience involvement in a recent interview with Fresh Air's Terry Gross. A riveting 40 minutes with an American treasure. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...oryId=130732712 Dan

Just to confirm, that is Bill Ives in the pic. I think Bill started something this year that has the potential to snowball into something much larger. Dan

I was the announcer at Normal. Joey's right. The corps doing pre-shows have a staff member cue the announcer (who, at premier events, usually announces from the front sidelines not in the box) when to begin each of the 3 pre-show announcements. In the case of the corps the OP mentioned, the staffer cued the first announcement and then left the announcers table leaving me to guess where the drum major and 'show start' announcements should occur. As Bob said, it's just a matter of working the kinks out of a new process. One other example. A couple of people asked me if I forgot the name of Cavies' show at Normal. I didn't. But I can understand why you might think I did. Cavaliers's designers wanted the announcement timed so that the name of their show ("...Mad World...") came from the pre-recorded, pre-show soundtrack originating from the pit. It's supposed to work like this: Announcer: "Performing their 2010 program..." Audio from pit: (w/ eerie efx) "..Mad World..." Announcer: "..Drum corps International is proud to present, The Cavaliers" The timing was fine. But, I'm not sure it had the intended effect because of the auditory disconnect caused by hearing audio coming from two sources separated by great distance (my voice coming from the stadium speaker system way beyond the left end zone and the Cavaliers' audio coming from the pit). Dan Potter

You'll hear much more on that theme (the fan experience) in the Field Pass to be posted tomorrow. It's a review of many of the ideas discussed at the winter meetings. Guests include Michael Cesario, DCI judge George Oliviero, Phantom percussion guru Paul Rennick, Crossmen program coordinator Jaime Alvarez-Calderone, Crown's brass caption head Matt Harloff, DCI OC Coordinator Dave Eddelman, Open Class Advisory chair Vicki Schaeffer, YEA board member Bill Speakman and the drum majors from The Cadets, Jersey Surf and Boston Crusaders....with music from the 2009 Cavaliers, Vanguard, Blue Devils B and The Cadets. Some of the content mirrors what you may have already seen in the Fan Net videos but there's much more too. Dan Potter PS...I think Michael Boo is corps-licious.

Today's Field Pass has been editted and reposted. Thanks again for keeping me accurate DCPers! I'm off to choir practice.

Wow. I'm having an off week. Thanks to everyone who's pointed out my tick. I, of course, know that Copland wrote Appalachian Spring. Doh! On the second reference (.."Are you channeling Lenny Bernstein?"...) I was refering to Stephanie's conducting style. Still. Ouch. Dan

Ryan, It's fieldpass@dci.org Dan

Sorry to disappoint but the announcer at Stanford this weekend will be the less-than-legendary me. I'm not certain, but I believe Brandt's doing Kalamazoo this weekend. Dan Potter

What Brandt said on the Field Pass is that he had no script at the first finals in Whitewater in 1972. Brandt and I and all announcers for DCI-run shows have scripts now. Unfortunately, I clean-out my briefcase between DCI and BOA seasons and I don't have a copy of an old script for the OP. I will in a couple of weeks though. Dan

And you can hear DCI CEO Dan Acheson, CFO Wayne Leide and Board of Directors Chairman Mark Arnold of the Blue Knights discussing the issue of rising fuel prices, as well as what's being done to cut costs in advance of the tour, here: Field Pass May 23, 2008 Dan Potter

Sorry about that. My first few trips out to talk to the manager were, umm, less than productive. After our third chat, I think the manager or projectionist decided, "They want it loud?! I'll give it to them loud!..." To borrow a line from a previous poster, they initially had the volume set on "seminar"...all I wanted was "Mission Impossible" level. Mr. Manager decided to kick it up to "amusement park ride." I hope you weren't too uncomfortable. Dan (aka the guy who does the Field Pass)

A great class this year. Details in today's Field Pass posted now at dci.org. Congrats to this year's inductees. Dan Potter

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Dave...it wouldn't have been right to leave you off

It took awhile to get the audio, but this interview is now posted at DCI.org. Dan

I've been sitting for at least 15 minutes, staring at a blank template, too stunned to write anything. My condolences to Lois and the Wingo family. And my deep, deep thanks to Lois for giving-up so many summer days with her husband so he could be with us. When people ask me why I'm still involved in drum corps at age 45, there's a long list of reasons, of course. The altruistic reason: I'm addicted to and in awe of the performers. "I keep coming back because the kids are so amazing...", is what I tell people. And it's true. But, there's another, more self-centered reason: I have friends like Harvey Wingo. Friendships which go back decades. Summertime friendships which exist in a vacuum, sealed and put away safely after finals each August and re-opened every June. We expect to pick up where we left off 9 months earlier...the jokes, the camaraderie... You wish and you try to keep those friendships active in the off-season, but that's not usually the way it works. Life takes your focus elsewhere while you subconciously tick-off the days until you'll be with your drum corps family again. Losing Harvey leaves a big empty spot in the family of people who work behind the scenes at DCI shows. Harvey always, always had a smile and a hug or a handshake at the ready. He remembered details about your life and would always follow-up on discussions from the previous summer, and it wasn't just conversation. Harvey Wingo truly cared about the people in our drum corps community. He wanted to know about your job, your kids. If you asked him, he'd reluctantly tell you about his short stint as a member of the Dallas Cowboys under Tom Landry. And, he'd always make sure you had enough of his "Wingo Sauce" to make it through to next summer. Harvey Wingo, you were so loved and will be so missed by a bunch of people who only got to see you for a short time each summer. We can't imagine the pain and loss those who were around you every day must feel. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Dan Potter

The last edition of The Field Pass for the 2007 season is now up at dci.org. It's an extended look at The Colts and their first top 12 finish in 6 years. DCI has also posted all of this years' FP podcasts under the "Multimedia" tab at dci.org. Look for the Field Pass link in the left column under Audio/Video. It's been great being a 5-day-a-week free podcast this summer. Thanks to everyone who allowed me to shove a mic in their face and ask sometimes inane questions. Thanks to Mike Ferlazzo for his contributions and a special thanks to everyone who listened and took the time to respond to what they heard. Have a great Labor Day weekend Planeteers!...wish I could be chillin' in Rochester with some of y'all.... Dan Potter

Thanks for having my back Mike! Truth is, I never get invited to the DCI conspiracy meetings (last week's took place on the grassy knoll which is just about 20-minutes from my home and I still didn't get invited! When I was news director of a 50,000 watt news-talk radio station, I got invited to ALL the liberal-news-media conspiracy meetings. I was in charge of bringing snacks. Peter Jennings used to love my rice krispie treats!). BTW Supersop, you left 2 words out of my quote....2 mitigating words that might punch a hole in your theory. I said, "There are, by my count, at least 6 corps that have a plausible chance of winning on finals night..." At least 6. Maybe 7. Maybe 5. Maybe 12. Thanks for listening. Lee Harvey Potter

This is possibly the most useful and insightful post I've ever read on this board. I'd love to know how many times this post is printed and stuck on refrigerator doors in kitchens around the country. Or how many of us said to ourselves as we read it, "...I wish my parents would have been like her..." Michael...did you hear from her? Mom...please write to one of us! Dan Potter FieldPass@dci.org Michael Boo boomike@dci.org

Ummm...try telling someone from Garland or Mesquite that far north Fort Worth is "the middle of DFW." Some of y'all are jumping the gun here. The list was just released. It will undoubtedly grow over the next couple of weeks (as it has the past 2 years), especially in major markets with more than one NCM property. If additional DFW and Houston locations are not added...I'd be very surprised. Though, personally, UA Fossil Creek is close for me and I think it would be pretty cool to have all of my dc friends in north TX in one place for the show.

I've got to throw down an endorsement for Dublin Dr. Pepper!! To someone who likes regular Dr. Pepper, the first-taste difference is profound. You'll be spoiled. Tejas Xmen need to educate the eastern vets about the virtues of what's on the line here. Nice job Silver'bone! :mmm: Dan