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After hearing about Storm Drum and Bugle emerging out of Indiana, I wondered if there were any other states that have only one drum corps in them and states that are getting a drum corps for the first time. Below is a list of drum corps and the states that they are from. Storm Drum and Bugle Corps - Indiana - Plans on joining DCI's open class in 2020 Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps - New Mexico - Plans on joining DCI's open class in 2019 Appalachian Gold Drum and Bugle Corps - West Virginia - Plans on joining DCI's open class in 2019 Armada Drum and Bugle Corps - Idaho - Plans on joining DCI's open class in 2018 *Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps believes that years into the future, there will be a new drum corps in the world class division from the southwest. :)

I just found out that Storm Drum and Bugle Corps is Indiana's newest drum corps! They plan on performing in soundsport in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, they plan on becoming a DCI Open Class Corps! #thenewstarofindiana Website: http://indianastorm.net Facebook Page: facebook.com/groups/IndianaStormProductions

I just found out that Storm Drum and Bugle Corps is Indiana's newest drum corps! They plan on performing in soundsport in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, they plan on becoming a DCI Open Class Corps! #thenewstarofindiana Website: http://indianastorm.net Facebook Page: facebook.com/groups/IndianaStormProductions

After the 2017 dci season, I realized that Les Stentors is the only active corps out of Canada and Quebec. However, I learned that there are a few corps in Canada that are planning on joining DCI's open class in the future. Here is a list of corps from Canada and the divisions that they are in: Open Class: Les Stentors Drum and Bugle Corps DCI Soundsport: The Diplomats Drum and Bugle Corps Les Titans de Quebec Drum and Bugle Corps Corps that aren't in soundsport but are working to come back to DCI: The Blue Saints Drum and Bugle Corps Are there any other Canadian/Quebec corps out there? If you know any, please list them below!

I cannot locate any recent information on the topic. With so much having changed this year for media consumption involving DCI, I'm concerned at the absence of even a fleeting recognition of such products being available this fall for pre-order or otherwise. Did I miss something??

After hearing that Music City moved up to world class for 2018, I began to wonder what other corps might make it into either open or world class in the future. This list is my predictions: Predictions for future World Class Corps: Battalion - 2025 Legends - 2022 Louisiana Stars - 2027 Columbians - 2028 Guardians - 2025 Southwind - 2026 Predictions for future open class corps: Tall City - 2019 Arsenal - 2019 Encorps - 2019 Armada - 2020 Appalachian Sound - 2020 Vessel - 2018 Arbella - 2022 Hub City Guardians - 2018 Horizon - 2021 Cutting Edge - 2025 Again, these are my predictions and not are not factual. What are your predictions? Do any of your predictions match up with mine? Do any of your predictions not match up with mine? Please list your comments below and we will find out!

Thanks for considering reading this wall of text. tl;dr No there are no conspiracies. There is virtually no herd mentality on the national level. Money nor reputation matters. Become a judge if you aren't already. Also--thank you if you're a fan of any of the pageantry activities. Not meant to be a dissertation, but a reflection of my many years of experience as a judge on the field and indoor. No I am not a DCI judge but I have been judging with DCI, WGI, and BOA national judges and have had many discussions with said men and women who are actively making these tough decisions. There appear to be several of us on here willing to share information so any input is very much appreciated. I am not speaking for every judge or even any group of judges but SPECIFICALLY to my experience. I'll be available for follow-up questions and concerns for a few days until this account and thread dies--if that's the case. ------------- 1) Herd Mentality Does not exist barring very few situations*. We judge the sheets. Particular to our caption, a unit can hit the sheets according to our eyeballs and our ears or it cannot. Sometimes there are difficult decisions that we have to make on the spot. We all see different things even within the same caption. Some judges are good enough to judge multiple captions. Ranks and ratings change for the same judge because they're judging a new caption. Also, when panels change, numbers will change as you have probably experienced in the past. It's absolutely unavoidable. Please also remember that there are separate numbers in what we see the designers intended to do and what the performers executed on that particular day/evening; i.e. vocabulary vs. excellence. It's the LEFT side and the RIGHT side respectively. It's not rocket science. We all have to trial judge for this and prove we can focus on our own caption and defend our numbers at critique and thereafter. *Note: Interestingly enough, every few shows a newer judge or trial judge will ask where I put a unit at any given point. I give them the neighborhood, e.g. high box 3, mid box 4, etc. but I'm very averse to providing an actual number as is anyone I have spoken with. Remember that we have fans only a few feet away from us in virtually every direction that can hear our conversations and are probably recording us on their smartphones. Why would we be idiots and mimic each other's scores? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. These days we can typically change our numbers for all units at the end of a round due to the mechanics of Competition Suite. It's a magical thing and it makes numbers management so much easier and more equitable. 2) Money We get a few hundred bucks or maybe a little more. It's not much. Expenses are paid if we are lucky. Rumors have it that nationals is just about the same or a little bit more but not much. This is a NON PROFIT activity. Enough said. We mostly do this because we think we can do it better than others and provide better input. We're not in this for the money--heck, we may be better off bartending for an evening. We do get the best view in the venue. That's why I do it--along with providing input to groups who actually give a **** as to improving their units. Most of us want the activity to grow and performers to get better; however, some judges are jerks who just want to criticize and call out things that are wrong because the units are not doing what they did 5, 10, or 50 years ago. It oftentimes gets tiresome in the judge's room and occasionally pisses me off. That's the main frustration I've had. We tend to argue when I encounter a judge who made a number I sorely disagreed with in a caption I've judged; there's a 50/50 chance I'll win and they'll rethink their numbers next time around if they're given the opportunity. We're otherwise complaining as to why we got a baked potato for a "meal." 3) Reputation This gets a little complicated. Many judges have obligations outside of judging. For example, several have contracts with percussion, winter guards, winds, marching bands, drill design, you name it. However, from my experience, it really doesn't matter. Our reputation is founded on the basis that we put down a number, record our commentary, and defend every ounce of it. We sometimes get stuck with a number we put down during an earlier part of the season and have to really back up any changes later in the season. As long as we reflect our APPROPRIATE number based on the sheet of our particular caption during that specific performance, it doesn't matter if we give 3rd place to a 12th place unit or vice versa. I've done it many times, "called" many shows, and still get asked to judge again. Judge's commentary is becoming more and more public, so I make sure to talk about the stuff I want my dear mother to hear as well as the unit staff and most importantly the performing members. When I hear from either the Chief Judge or a director that they played my commentary to their students, it means the world to me. Knowing they sacrificed several minutes of their valuable rehearsal time to listen to my exhausted hoarse voice makes my day. 4) Critique Sometimes a show will have a requirement for the judges to participate in critique sessions with the units. We may also get emails, phone calls, or texts about why a unit was ranked and rated as they were. This can get stressful. This is why we take notes. I keep my notes for at least 3 years. Every show is different. Some times I'll place a unit higher than another, and I take notes as to why (even though it's inappropriate to talk about other units during critique). Focus on your own show on your own caption and unit I always say. However, it's good for me to back up to the Chief Judge why I flip-flopped or made an uncanny or unpopular choice. I do it all the time. Most times people get it--they watch their competitors and see why they have fallen (or risen) in my particular caption. Critique allows us to gather input from the units and provide feedback beyond our recorded commentary. Heck I've unintentionally made a former colleague cry during critique. I've also had a situation when we had to get the Chief Judge to kick out an overdramatic irate director during critique. What really pisses us off is when someone only rants about their score without having listened to the commentary. All I can reference is my notes at that point. The commentary is not a part of my records but a part of yours. Do your homework. Listen to the commentary. 5) State of the Activity Plan on being angered! Many current judges should consider retiring. The activity has changed considerably in the past decade--let alone the past several decades--and corps art is not being recognized properly. The newer judges, about a third of any panel; if we're lucky, have still been removed from the activity for a decade or more. Yes, this is a traditional activity and that I quite understand. Furthermore, most design and tech staff who have been a part of the top competing units are of a separate generation with separate visions working alongside older generations with progressive acuities. There's a lot of subjectivity with the sheets and what is put on the field or floor. A few older judges see this. Most, however, don't. This is, in my honest opinion, the main disconnect between the overall numbers and what the fans want to see rewarded. So where is the activity heading? Which leads me to this: 6) Next Steps Trial judge. Regardless of your age. We need more judges. Many of you are analytical critical jerks and we really could use your help. Whether it's percussion, guard, winds, visual, brass, whatever. We need new blood in every activity. Please consider contacting a local circuit and start trialing. Before you know it, you may be judging state and regional championships and knocking on DCI, BOA, or WGI's doors. Just show up. That's half the battle. You're not running for office--you're helping develop youth and art. We just need new people with deductive mindsets willing to put in their experience and research to current events on the field and the floor. We're no better than you. The activity is changing too fast for most of us. Regardless, please stay a supporting member or fan of the marching & pageantry arts no matter what. The common sports have enough fans. Show up to all sorts of our musical and "artsy" competitions just because, well, reasons. Thank you. Edit: Changed title of thread. Edit: Here's a copy of the 2012 DCI sheets thanks to @Jeff Ream

With every season that comes and goes, and every championship that passes, I believe we all hear or think, "so and so will come back bigger and better next year". But who do YOU actually believe will come back hitting harder next year? Will the Bluecoats try and climb their way back into the medals after falling to 5th coming off a championship year? Will The Cadets try and claw their way back into the top 6 after finishing in 7th. With Anniversary years coming up for the Cavaliers and the Madison Scouts, will either come out swinging with anniversary shows that propel them back into their glory days. Maybe even Phantom regiment will try and jump a few places. No matter what corps and what place, who do you believe will make a big leap next year and come out stronger than this year?

Hey all, I am a college junior who has been a marching percussionist for 7 years. I was interested in getting into DCI before my freshman year but was unable to due to military commitments. However, I believe I will be able to march this summer and am trying to figure out what the best fit for someone like me would be. I am fairly experienced and realistically consider myself to be a pretty good player, but I know that making a top 12 corps is very hard without prior corps experience. This will be both my rookie and age-out year, and making a corps will be fulfilling a goal and hope I've had for years. What corps is a good fit for a college student who has played snare for 7 years in a competitive high school group and a college band but not in a corps before? I would love to audition for as many as I can, but as with most people, time and money are a factor. Thanks for your help in advance!

I didn't see a new season topic for Pacific Crest, so here goes. Staff announcements: Visual staff Brass staff Percussion staff Color Guard staff Other staff positions listed here. They are wrapping up a Pacific Crest/Blue Devils Experience Camp and Auditions. PC is auditioning for Brass, Battery, Front Ensemble, Color Guard, and Drum Major. BD is auditioning for Brass and Battery. And now you are as up to date as I am. If anyone has additional info, please post. Thanks! And looking forward to 2017 (except all my kids have aged-out -- sigh!).

It will be interesting to observe trends of DCI in terms of streaming numbers and tickets sold at events over the next few years. DCI had a decline in numbers during the mid to late 90's after design trends changed. (Some argue due to Star's game changing show). Either way, shows changed and some say it was less fan friendly, etc and the result was a decline in numbers. I wonder, with how much DCI changed this season, how and if that this will affect attendance, etc. If over the next few seasons, the trend starts to decline, will this cause DCI, then designers to take pause and re-evaluate the design trend. As they say, time will tell.

So, I recently subscribed to FloMarching. Just wondering, are we likely to see high-quality video editing like we are used to in the cinema and dvd recordings? The video direction thus far has been questionable. It'd be great if it were the same team (Tom Blair & Co.?) Any thoughts or insights about what to expect?

I know, just one ticket. But maybe some of the loners out there might be interested. Section J, Row 33, seat 10. $45 Again, this is for Saturday. PM if interested and we can work out details.

I have participated and have been following drum corps for a very long time. I have adopted the changes over the years with open arms. I love most of those changes and have no wish to turning the clock back. I start with these points because I know some punk will accuse me of being old school or for not understanding modern drum corps. Rest assured I understand it quite well and I am very familiar with the judging sheets and scoring process. Having said that, it is a shame what the judges are doing to BC this year. I have watched closely all season and have seen the bias that is so obvious. It appears to me the judges have a grudge of some sort against them. Is it the guard outfits? I read the corps changed to longer shorts due to complaints about a little butt cheek or two showing. Is it because the judges believe it is destiny for BD and SCV to be fighting it out during their anniversaries? Maybe it is because they don't have enough pretty colors. I noticed BD has pink in their uniforms. That certainly must be worth an extra 3 or 4 points in visual. It apparently outweighs the extreme drill design BC is marching. Unfortunately, the scores are simply the opinion of a select few judges. They are human and have biases. This years "collective thought" appears to be against the Bluecoats. That truly is a shame given the energy and talent this corps has. The message the judges are sending to all: don't do anything risky, keep your drill simple and clean, focus on having a strong palette of color choices and color guard, both have more impact on your overall score then drill, brass, or percussion. Fast is old school. March slowly and precisely. When playing, be sure it is loud and try to stand still while doing so. If you are going to march at a fast tempo, be sure to do it while not playing. And finally, never ever make the young women in the guard where something feminine. Modern women are not supposed to be feminine or sexy.

Hello, does anyone out there know how I can purchase individual used marching snares that were previously marched by a DCI corps or where I might find them? Thank you for your help.

I'm in a complicated situation but I will try my best to explain it. I am a woodwind player primarily but I am trying to learn mellophone for the purpose of marching in dci one day. My dream corps has been bluecoats since '08 but me being 18 years old and having no dci experience and being pretty bad on mello as of now, that dream seems to be fading (especially now that they're defending champs). My first question would be what kind of skill level on my horn should I be at before going to any audition camps? I don't want to just show up and waste everyone's time and make a fool of myself. Should I be able to play previous show music? Sightread at a good level? As of right now I'm working on the basics of the instrument but I have absolutely no clue what to work on to prepare for auditions. Second, if I do get to the point of auditioning, what should I do rookie year? Let's just say for argument's sake I'll march bluecoats before I age out. I heard carolina crown requires previous world class experience or they wont even let you audition. Are the bluecoats the same way? My second favorite corps is phantom regiment, which would probably be a better rookie audition? Finally, the age out rule states if you turn 22 during the season you are still allowed to be in the corps. Does this mean you can audition as a 21 year old? Thank you for reading and any advice on anything even if not mentioned specifically above is welcome.

The 2017 drum corps season has started, and so has my show review season! I reviewed two shows for the June edition of Drum Corps World. The first was the DCI Tour Premiere cinecast on Thursday, June 22. The focus of that review was on the technical aspects of the cinecast. A separate review of the performances is also in the June issue. The second review was of the Innovations in Brass: Massillon show on Saturday, June 24. That review was a performance review of all 5 World Class and 2 SoundSport corps which performed that night. http://www.gaminnet.info/?p=3054

This past Saturday (June 17), I went to the Sacramento Mandarins' Family Day show. I was very excited by what I saw. Over the past few years, Mandarins have continued to do better and better each year. I fee like they made a sizable jump in size and quality about 3-4 years ago and the Mandarins of today are on another level than a few years ago. Since joining Division 1/World Class, I feel they are often overlooked (Their 2013 show was OUTSTANDING). I think this will be the year they make a jump in scores and placements. I think they will continue to turn some heads. I believe they will be on the DCI cinemacast this year, and have an outside chance (depending how the cards fall) of making finals. Key Take-Aways: -Mandarins are marching a full corps (150 members) -Show theme is "Inside The Ink" which (this is my take, I have not seen a formal description) explores Rorschach tests and how what you see might not be what others see. -All sections are STRONG. Hornline is HOT (go to their Facebook page and watch a warm-up they posted - dang!), percussion sounds great, and guard is REALLY strong. I think that something great about this show is that it is written just right - meaning, that while challenging, every section can be successful at a high level and will be improving at every show throughout the summer. Visual is the weakest as of now and will benefit immensely through repeated practice and shows. -A special shout out to the guard, who is, by far the best guard the Mandarins has ever fielded. A great deal of equipment work. -My favorite part of the show is the Sound of Silence. VERY effective! Best of luck to them for a successful, safe, and fun summer! If you have a chance to see them, definitely do - such a great corps!

Crossmen has one 15 passenger van that is in need of a driver for most of the summer. This is a driving volunteer position. Sleep all day, drive all night. Your passengers will be our volunteers. No CDL required. If you are interested in driving for a drum corp this summer, please reach out to Chelsea at chelsea.stemet@crossmen.org. Thank you!

Watchmen Summer Auditions January 7th & 8th, February 4th & 5th Check in 8:00am - Audition Fee: $40 Auditions 9:00am - 9:00pm Location: Patriot High School 4355 Camino Real, Riverside, Ca 92509 email: director@watchmenartsassociation.org http://watchmenartsassociation.org/

I thought I'd start a new thread with the show's current title for the discussion of the actual show. The TV Listings for October 5th are available and this is what it says as a description of the first episode: (Source: Zap2It.com) Close Clash of the CorpsEpisode: Marchin Music's Major League Premiere Special PREMIERE NEW S01, E01 The Blue Devils and The Cadets struggle with auditions, training, and anxiety, but still find time to party.

Maybe some of you have interest in sharing reflections, thoughts, or reactions to viewing the DCI Finals performances on your recently acquired DVD or BluRays? I attended shows at the Tour Premier in Indy, San Antonio, and all three days during Finals week. After a viewing of the shows on video (both multi-cam and high cam), here are a few of my early thoughts. Obviously, this is FWIW: The top five shows are all really wonderful and different. Five different corps’ personalities. Except for The Academy, shows six and below blur together a bit. I am disappointed, a little sad, and then also somewhat guilty that I still can't find much memorable about Phantom's show. Oh, right, some good featured horn players. Hey, thanks to Fuse, I know that girl in the BD guard and that guy in the Cadets guard! Bluecoats were stunning and Blue Devils were their usual quality executioners. For me, Crown had the winning show. I didn’t think that about Crown late on Finals night in LOS. But also: those featured horns in Bluecoats! Liked the Blue Knights music much more than I remember from seeing them live. Liked The Academy music, but didn’t hear it as well played on video as I thought it was live. I even remember in Indy thinking the group ought to have scored higher on music than it did. Now not so much. (Though, I’ve nothing special in terms of audio playback.) I think many shows use props unproductively, and so ineffectively. The Cadets, Crossmen, Blue Stars. Just wasted time and effort with many of those props. I don’t buy the need to simply stage stuff - those mannequins and lamps. I am not anti-props. Crown, Bluecoats, The Academy, Cavies used props genuinely effectively; the props were integral to the show. (To the show, not just the theme.) I got kind of irrationally annoyed that the horn statue for the Cadets stayed on that wedding cake all show instead of getting down and doing some drill. I wondered whether the judges weren’t compelled to ask, WT* do we do now? at Bluecoats and parts of Cavies show. If they did, I liked their answers. Missed the Scouts.

With the emergence of music based programs versus themed programs (ex. The Cadets 2013) we should start a forum with ideas that would be good music programs. My submission is The Rite of Spring both movements. Also post which corps you think would be best for the music I think crown would make a lit program based on Rite of Spring.

Is anyone keeping track of how many groups have gone through Sound Sport and emerged into a DCI Open Class Corps?

Looks like there will be an announcement soon! Mods: If there is already an official 2016 thread, sorry could not find one. Delete this topic or merge.