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Southern California Open Class Corps


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Okay...

So in the past few days we have found out that:

Mystikal is not fielding a corps this year.

Incognito had recently folded.

VK is marching 15ish horns.

Impulse is significantly smaller than they used to be.

Is southern California oversaturated in Open Class corps?

Why not combine efforts?

At what point does so many corps starting up and then not fielding hurt the activity?

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Okay...

So in the past few days we have found out that:

Mystikal is not fielding a corps this year.

Incognito had recently folded.

VK is marching 15ish horns.

Impulse is significantly smaller than they used to be.

Is southern California oversaturated in Open Class corps?

Why not combine efforts?

At what point does so many corps starting up and then not fielding hurt the activity?

I don't agree that SoCal is saturated. With a population base as big as that region, they could probably support more corps. The Bay Area is smaller in population, yet they support 2 World Class corps, 2 Open Class corps, and extending to Sacramento, one more World Class corps.

Go back 40 years and you had two touring Class A corps in VK and Kingsmen, plus about a dozen other competing corps. That was with half the current base population.

I'm sorry I can't address your question more clearly. I wish I had the answer. I'd love to see drum corps flourish in SoCal. Why the potential hasn't been realized is beyond me.

Garry in Vegas

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VK is marching 15ish horns.

BDB marched 17 horns in 2002. Yep.

It's not about where you are. It's about where you're going.

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BDB marched 17 horns in 2002. Yep.

It's not about where you are. It's about where you're going.

Mandarins won DIII Championships with those numbers. So, it's also about what you do with what you have.

Garry in Vegas

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Garry's right on with this - the population base of SoCal calls for even more corps, really.

Wisconsin in 1994 had just under 4 million people and 4 Open Class corps within 150 miles of each other:

Pioneer

Capitolaires

Blue Stars

Americanos

Add the Phantom Regiment Cadets just 30 miles south of Wisconsin, and there are 5 Open Class corps in a population base 1/4 of SoCal. One small step west and you can add Colt Cadets for 6.

Today, SoCal has about 20 million people within a similar footprint as south central Wis/northern Ill/far-east Iowa and has 4 operational Open Class corps:

Impulse

Gold

City Sound

Velvet Knights

There's room for more corps in SoCal. And for a few more In-n-Outs too! :)

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Okay...

So in the past few days we have found out that:

Mystikal is not fielding a corps this year.

Incognito had recently folded.

VK is marching 15ish horns.

Impulse is significantly smaller than they used to be.

Is southern California oversaturated in Open Class corps?

Why not combine efforts?

At what point does so many corps starting up and then not fielding hurt the activity?

Can you give confirmation on Incognito? I know they don't show up on any scores, and their various pages haven't been updated in a bit. I've seen nothing.

As for the area being saturated...I have to DISagree with Garry....I've thought the region was saturated years ago (re Jr corps...1 Sr does not over-saturation make). The fact that so many of these corps have struggled with numbers for so long indicates there IS an issue of too many corps too close together.

Re combining forces...not likely...the history of mergers is littered with failed attempts....Crossmen are one of the few who actually survived the provess.

More likely members from Incognito and Mystikal will go to VK and Impulse if they still want to march...or Gold.

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Okay...

So in the past few days we have found out that:

Mystikal is not fielding a corps this year.

Incognito had recently folded.

VK is marching 15ish horns.

Impulse is significantly smaller than they used to be.

And that Gold has re-established themselves in the San Diego area with another nice-sized corps. And that we have a new entry in City Sound.

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And that Gold has re-established themselves in the San Diego area with another nice-sized corps. And that we have a new entry in City Sound.

Gold has a nice drum corps this year...they've improved every year, IMO. City Sound has entered the arena with a FINE effort, great job by staff and kids! VK has a really cool show, the kids are starting to perform with the gusto we expect from them. I dunno when/where the OP has seen Impulse in the last few years, but they've grown a bit this year as opposed to the last 2 and are performing to a high level (the drumline is something to behold). It takes a lot of heart to keep one of these groups going, hence you encounter the Mystikals or Incognitos on occasion...I think Open Class in SoCal is healthy and putting out great product...with Revolution in town for a couple of weeks these shows have been pretty dang competitive!

cg

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Incognito is NOT folded. I email the director....some issues OUTSIDE of drum corps cropped up that had to be dealt with and they're taking a year off to deal with them. DCI is supportive, according to him.

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Impulse is significantly smaller than they used to be.

FYI....

Impulse is Larger than last season and basically the same size it has been since 2006.

Impulse marched fewer guard and 16 horns last season, 26 horns (up 10) this summer and 10-12 guard, up from last season.

Battery slightly larger as well.

The last time Impulse was larger than it is now was 2005 with the Impulsibles show...39 brass/35 percussion/14 guard/2 dms at 90.

The largest Impulse corps was 2001-2002 at about 97 total members.

This is Impulse's 12 competitive season on the field and appears to be turning a corner in membership growth. I expect they will be around for many years to come.

:-)

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