Search the Community

We have a handful of corps that have the talent to win gold, which is outstanding. The sheer number of great ideas this year is more than I've ever seen in DCI, and I've been watching (or marching) since the mid-80s. What pains me most is when show designs hobble great talent, that demoralize almost as much as inspire. What I love to see most is a show design that empowers MMs to achieve their highest potential as performers, as people, and as artists, making the show itself into a work of art that transcends the idiom of drum corps. Usually, it's the show concepts that either click, or fail. A great concept will most always lead to a string of inspired, aesthetically-unified, and effective (GE) decisions in all captions. A poor concept will fail to a greater or lesser degree in all regards, including demoralizing MMs who have to live with it, act like they love it, but hate it secretly until afterwards, when they just end up regretting the decision they made to trust the design team and join the corps. That's the worst of all possible outcomes. Solution to poor design = Open Innovation Here's how to do it (though versions of this have been tried in the past, I'm well aware): 1. The design team must let go a bit and open up, instead of being like Charleton Heston ("...FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS!!!!"). Egos must be shelved. It's OK, we have to tell the corps directors and design teams. You'll still get your salaries because you're paid to CO-innovate and collaborate, to execute the designs, and hardest of all: to teach a group of young people how to create art. People out there, including potential members who will actually perform the show, have great ideas. Closed innovation doesn't work anymore in business, and it doesn't work well in DCI, at least for several corps, and even sometimes for the very best organizations. (Object lesson: 12.25, 10, Yowza, etc.) 2. They solicit show ideas from fans and alumni, but do so in an organized way, requesting concept, music, arrangement, visual, uniform, flag, prop, etc., ideas that communicate that theme. A standard format and strict requirements for submitting show design proposals must be communicated, just like any professional proposal. I'm talking actual RFPs (requests for proposals). And they could even require that the ideas if rejected cannot be used by other DCI organizations, which would keep the IP (intellectual property) within the community, as it were. Even better: they could request (or even require) individuals and/or teams of future MMs submit proposals. Could be a component of their auditions. 3. They allow the community to view the ideas, comment, and vote. 4. They give the community 50% of the votes, and their team 50%, and the best idea wins. Maybe the second or fourth best ideas will win the following year(s). How could you go wrong with the above? The days of the dictatorial corps director mucking things up are numbered. Just like the days of white guys in cigar-filled rooms deciding which candidate from which prominent political family will represent their party for governor or president. (Oh wait.....) Closed innovation, top-down, dictatorial decisions are so 20th century. So pre-social media. So Greatest Generation. Charleton Heston died angry, red-faced, half-crazy, but reports say that he was holding his wrinkled shrunken antique piece. Don't let this happen to you, top-5 corps. Let go. This is the Millennial Generation marching. They want co-ownership in their organizations. They want to lend a hand, to be empowered, to express their voice, and invest everything they have in its success, from concept to execution, from paper to the Gold medal around their neck at Finals. Trust the alumni, fans, and most of all: future MMs, not just yourselves. Open Innovation will avoid show designs that are inept from the get-go. Open Innovation will yield gold.

Greetings DCP Marketplace! I am looking for 2 vintage DCI LPs, that I would like to purchase: The 1974 Drum Corps International Championship Volume 3 Drum Corps International 1982 Championships Volume 1 If you might have one or both of these LPs and would be willing to sell them, please reply to this post or feel free to email me: mbdrums@aol.com. Many thanks and hope to hear from you! God Bless. Mark

Kacey Two Allentown tickets for sale. Sat. Section H, Row 5

Who do you think will be placed where in this upcoming season? I'm really curious. And new to this!

CLICK HERE Pretty cool drum solo, let me know what you think

Any Comment? If you have been thinking about this too like i have been for the pass three years, lets discuss it. What are your thoughts exactly. Anyone cares to? anyone!!!?

http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/22/how-to-fix-flash-video-performance-in-firefox/ If you are using Firefox, do this. I was getting little video pauses and stutters that didn't affect the audio, every 5-10 seconds. Did this and it is gone. For anyone complaining about Fan Network video issues give this a try if you are using Firefox. This will fix any flash video in Firefox btw...including Youtube. Hope it helps some of you! Thanks!

City Sound Color Guard Workshop Sunday March 23, 2014 9 AM to 5 PM CSU DOMINGUEZ HILLS (meet for registration in Parking Lot 4A) 1000 E Victoria St Carson, CA 90747 For more information email CitySound@City-Sound.org Hope to see you there! www.City-Sound.org (Send this flyer to all your friends!)

Mark your calendars... March 29, 2014, City Sound is hosting a "FREE" benefit concert, and they would love for you to attend. Cabrillo Beach Youth Waterfront Sports Center, 3000 Shoshonean Road, San Pedro, 90731. (http://www.cabrilloyouthcamp.org/) Please invite your friends and family. (See attached flyer) See you there

Mark your calendars... March 29, 2014, City Sound is hosting a "FREE" benefit concert, and they would love for you to attend. Cabrillo Beach Youth Waterfront Sports Center, 3000 Shoshonean Road, San Pedro, 90731. (http://www.cabrilloyouthcamp.org/) Please invite your friends and family. (See attached flyer) See you there

Mark your calendars... March 29, 2014, City Sound is hosting a "FREE" benefit concert, and they would love for you to attend. Cabrillo Beach Youth Waterfront Sports Center, 3000 Shoshonean Road, San Pedro, 90731. (http://www.cabrilloyouthcamp.org/) Please invite your friends and family. (See attached flyer) See you there