Gary Matczak

updated first post,...........

Erie hunderbirds use Kanstul sops, mellos and baris and Dynasty Super Mag contras in G

MBI, Chops, Kilties, Govies, Cincy make up MW and 25% of DCA corps,...............and 4 of the 7 Class A corps last year,......

bumpin'

Opening Day is one week away!

okay,...........what the hell are those things?

Excellent!!!!!!!!!! Great team in place for this momentus move,........LOVE IT!

not exactly clear, but kinda how I remebered it,................we were scheduled to appear in 99,.......even printed in the program,...........but did not attend as a corps, partly because of cost,..................

One last observation. DCA attendance continues to dwindle to a few thou. Attendance at the AS is even less. Fine - but how many of the Alumni guys/gals/support staff fill seats at the DCA Finals ? I tend to think it could be a BUNCH. Tell the Alumni to take a hike and you will have even far fewer butts in seats for Prelims and Finals. my apolopgies, the quote feature didn't work right for the above,.... there is a lot to consider here, and quite possibly the double edged sword,.............the origins of the alumni show was just that, getting more people in town and butts in seats for prelims and finals,..............many alumni corps/members and travel companions do not go to prelims and finals, but on the other hand, the ones that do, don't buy tickets to the alumni show, because they are in it,............

As we prepare for our 60th Anniversary season, Opening Day will be held at McDowell Intermediate School in Millcreek on Saturday November 21 from 12-6 PM. The evening before we will celebrate our 2015 season return to the DCA competition field with the corps banquet being held at American Legion Post 773 in Millcreek. Our special guest that evening will be Keynote Speaker Allen Buell, DCA President elect. We are very excited to have Allen join us in celebrating our 2015 successes and roll right into preparing for 2016.

updated first post

I remember that show in Allentown well, seeing the Matadors that day was particularly exciting for me...........................as time went on from there, alumni corps were required to obtain rights to arrange and perform, provide adequate insurance, and, similar to the field corps, stay a commensurate number of hotel room nights, in order to share in the gate receipts of the show.......................the whole concept IMO was to give these great corps a venue to perform during DCA weekend, with the hopes that by bringing the corps to town, it would put more butts in seats for prelims and finals, not to mention that a lot of the I&E entrants come from the ranks of the corps and organizations that do not compete on the field. Some of the requirements make for an expensive trip for alumni corps and their members, and as I understand it, some simply do not comply with some of the requirements, and do not buy seats to the two days of field competition, which in the end must effect DCAs overall ability to negotiate with and meet its obligations with tourist and convention bureaus,...............

wow,.............I wonder if something different is planned for the time slot,..............

Can Help!,....................PM me

Why can't the links in the NewsFeed posts actually be links,.....................?

this should be the prime objective,............how about providing models and support for show sponsors to seek local sponsorships that not only gets businesses and individuals an add in the program, but provides tickets to local community, senior, youth, even church groups, band programs, to put butts in seats,.............

updated first post

updated first post

2016 will be the 60th anniversary for the Erie Thunderbirds. We are excited to announce that our Opening Day will be held Saturday, November 21st, 2015. For more information, to ask questions, etc. please join our Facebook Group. Information is regularly released on this Facebook group. Join the group today to stay up to date on all current information.

updated first post

UPDATED - 8 October 2016 The Erie Thunderbirds have the following avaialable: 16" White Pearl Bass Drum - $150.00 20" White Pearl Bass Drum - $175.00 28" White Pearl Bass Drum - $225.00 20" White Pearl Bass shell only - $50.00 24" Chrome Pearl Bass shell only - $75.00 3 - XL Snare Carriers - $35.00 each 3 - Pearl Bass Carriers - $35.00 each 4' folding aluminum conductor podium - $300.00 40+ Gloss White Phantom Style Helmets with Storage Boxes - $600.00 100+ Blue Uniform Tops with Red and Chrome Trim - $700.00 50+ Red Cummerbunds - $150.00 50+ Pair of Cream Gauntlets - $150.00 100+ Pair Cream Bibs - $500.00 3 rolling uniform carriers that hold 30-40 uniforms and headgear - $600.00

I always thought the music of Pippin would make great corps material,..............Corner of the Sky, along with Magic to Do and Simple Joys are all great songs.

drum corps is a group activity,............no one person should be saddled with all the financial responcibility,..............none of it happens overnight,..................................have a team, start small, have a plan,...........................carry on.

We have 4 black FFX Pearl snares with carriers,.............PM if interested

The important thing to understand IMO is that 3000 heads at a regular season ticket price.vs, the price for prelims and finals is why local appeal wherever finals is held is a very hard sell,..........locals are unlikely to hear a corps rehearsing in their neighborhood and say "hey, let's go see that" once they understand that tickets for their family of five is around $200.00,............you'll get some, but not an additional 1-2000 seats filled,........