JMS0527

I'd have to go with them and even the Bridgemen that night....think SCV would have to win when they couldn't hear each other and phased horrendously Like anyone gave a crap at that point

Yeah Yeah Yeah...I'll believe it when I see it :P

I'm only basing my opinion of the Des Plaines APD, but I thought the show was great... It's the only APD I've listened to where I thought "this is a great show" at the end...

I like Chuck's writing style B)

Indeed.... Neither side, for OR against, should be doing it

No leg to stand on....what can the majority of them do other than resort to adolescent behavior? B)

I'm still waiting for the concrete arguments...

Balance??????? Here's my experience so far.... Either the amped voice is STILL impossible to hear and/or understand.....sooo, why amp it in the first place since it's not achieving its goal. OR It's so freakin' loud, I can't hear a 60+ member hornline behind it. I do not want to sit in the stands and hear a speech...I want to hear brass and percussion..period. Drums Along the Rockies is this Saturday...I'm a mere 50 miles away. Am I going? No. Why? Because I'm not blowing my money to hear speeches, narration, whistling, and nonsense words disguised as "drumspeak." I have the Blue Devils' and Cadets' APDs....the narration pisses me off so badly, I hit the stop button within 5 seconds. So, I'm not going to burn the gas, put the mileage and wear-and-tear on my car, endure the stress of driving in Denver traffic, and spend money to go to an event that contains performances which #### me off, make me regret spending my money, and make me wish I were somewhere else. This is, bar none, the least excited I have ever been during a DCI season...ever. And, it is entirely because I'm hearing a voice through an amplifier. As far as "concrete" answers, they're there...well, they must be, otherwise I fail to see the point of allowing the amps in the first place, let alone their being a method of projecting someone's voice at me...something I don't want to hear even unamped. Twenty-four hours have passed....nope, nothing concrete that supports the notion that the corps should continue down this path and drive away more and more fans. "Why not?", "change is good," and "get over it" are not concrete arguments. Here's one more fan who's on the edge of leaving this activity behind. And, I never thought I'd see the day.

I posted this before, but I'll just do it again and edit out my post the first time... I love how it's pointed out that there are fake names on the petition....but, doesn't that just prove my point that many of the pro-ampers are completely immature about this while, at the same time, accusing the anti-ampers of doing the same? WE'RE the ones who are trying to play God? Wow Yet, again.....no concrete arguments FOR the use of amps in regards to the human voice...in the course of a year, I have yet to see one. So, with the exception of Mike Davis (though I don't buy what he's selling, but anyway), they have no recourse other than to be immature about this whole thing. I'll make one addition to this post...I also give Mike Bishop credit, as I do Mike Davis.. Mike responded to my question as I originally asked it without resorting to any of the above.

Hey, thanks for responding! You've just pointed out a glaring error on my part...I wish I hadn't committed the error, but oh well. The most important part of that member's comments is the part that says he is not a fan of amplified voice... I'm sure someone will love to comment that I'm backtracking here, in their opinion... Nonetheless, I'll phrase the question the way I should have in the first place... In a year's time, I have yet to see a concrete argument given for the amplification of the human voice. Your quote doesn't support it...nothing anyone has ever said on this forum supports it. Again, thanks for making me realize that I wasn't specific enough about my claim. It'll help remind me to not commit the same error again.

Yes, but wouldn't that mean the girl wakes up from her dream?

I don't agree with him, but at least Mike makes valuable contributions to this discussion.... You on the other hand... <**>

There's no reason to not believe you... But, how many kids your age are spending that much compared to someone my age or older with more than Christmas money at our disposal?

~G~ ? What's that one question you've posed countless times since these arguments began? You know, the one that's never actually been answered? I think you know which one I'm talking about. Could you please post it once again, so my point about no concrete arguments can be illustrated once again? Remainder of post resubmitted down the line....

We obviously don't see "busloads" of Legacy fans arriving at shows.... But, ok, let's take a busload of band kids and another bus full of Legacy fans....exactly the same number of buyers on each bus.....and let them have at it. Are you trying to tell me that the busload of high school band kids is going to out-purchase the busload of people who are totally in control of their cash AND have more cash to spend....that the high school kids who make well below $10 per hour AND rely on their parents' cashflow can outspend people like me? And, of course I spent that money over a period of years....the '98 CDs didn't come out in '94. So what? Those kids aren't going to out-purchase me just this summer. It took me until the age of 30 to spend and acquire all that....these kids are not going to get there any faster if they do at all...they're certainly not going to be able to spend that much before leaving college. Plus, if George Hopkins' rationale of appealing to these kids is actually even genuine...well, I guess since the kids like this amplification stuff so much, it is possible (I'm not so insane as to assert that it's definitive) that a share of these kids won't want the drum corps shows of the 70s...any amount of kids that shy away from those years just means the band kids spend that much less than the Legacy fans can, have, do, and will....

Mike, I have over 10 years worth of CDs....not sure of the total cost, but it's several hundred... I have 30 years worth of DVDs....OVER $1000 (by a fair amount) invested... Try to sell to me that some "band kid" is going to be able to spend as much as I have or any other "legacy" fan with a regular 40-hours per week income. Try to convince me that a freakin' T-shirt costs that much or they'd buy approx. $2000 worth...they're in HIGH SCHOOL Plus, explain to me how the band kids can contribute as much to individual corps (i.e., donations) as the legacy fans can... The platinum level of Friends of DCI is $1500 minimum....show me a band kid that contributed that much money

Hey, thanks for illustrating the point I made last night B)

Your assertion that the anti-amp people are the only aggressive ones is completely false... Many pro-ampers (except Mike Davis) get HIGHLY offended when we voice what we don't like....worse yet, in the past year, I have yet to hear a concrete argument FOR keeping the amps. Sorry, but the pro-ampers' aggression is far closer to being nothing but whining.

I rarely disagree with the judges' numbers...even when I do, it's very minor. I honestly don't think politics enters into the picture.... If it did, explain the Bluecoats beating the Cadets in brass...or the Cadets taking 3rd in field visual behind some corps who've never even been in contention for the title (yet). [sarcasm That's not supposed to happen. /sarcasm] The fact that Madison scored so close to the Cavies speaks volumes to me. It's possible that the Cavies aren't QUITE as good as they were at this point last year....but, it's pretty clear that it's mainly (if not completely) because Madison is that much improved this year...and *gasp* the judges are responding to that

I may not be a brass player, but..... TRUMPETS! Holy crap! They have a couple of sixteenth-note runs that sounded clearly articulated, clean, and they put those notes right out there for all to hear......definitive communication and clarity. They will not go down as the FASTEST sixteenth note runs ever, but that just enhances the articulation....I just listened to their first run (less than 90 seconds in), and......gah!

I would agree.... A case might be made if the Cavies take it again this year. Yes, they are amped, but they're not amping voice. Better yet would be a bigtime surge and a championship win for Phantom...no amps at all.

Because, Krista, this is the 21st century!......where political correctness rules the day! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy! *breaks out the green M&Ms* EDIT: If anyone wants to read a review where no punches are pulled, read my review of finals last year....coincidentally, I posted the review to this very forum!

I just download the Cadets APD...ugh....if only they didn't feel the need to amp the voice. I thought that maybe...just maybe...I'd be ok with the "drum talk"....nope I don't think I'll be bothering with anymore of their APDs

You can also click on his photo index...from there, you will get the Cadets pics

I'd probably be more interested in the post-tick breakdowns anyway