Music City Legend To Cease 2011 Operations

[nukeme70]

DCAS is full of talent and choices of corps to march with. Two power house corps (Alliance and CorpVets) are just a few hours down the road. Florida is seeing some progress with their corps. Alabama is showing some growth in the mini corps arena. Shenandoah Sound is on what?? Their 100th season in exsistance??? (kidding). But they keep on trucking.

Alliance and CorpsVets are both geographically close to each other and are very successful at putting together a competitive corps year end and year out. They both have Spirit drum and bugle corps in their back yard recruiting and it does not seem to be hurting them any so really your arguments/debate or opinion on the subject matter posted is seriously flawed.

Just want to point out a couple issues here...

While DCAS is full of talent, your choices of corps to march with are seriously limited. Unless I'm mistaken, there are 6 DCAS corps that have expressed their intention to attend DCA Finals this year: Shenendoah Sound, Tampa Bay Thunder, CorpsVets, Alliance, Carolina Gold, and Gulf Coast Sound.

Distances are considerable in DCAS, so there are even fewer options that are just a few hours down the road. As a reference, distances from Rochester: ShenSound - 400miles, Gold - 650miles, Alliance - 936miles, CV - 990miles, TBT - 1328miles, GCS - 1600miles. MCL is 772miles.

CV and Alliance don't have too far to go to compete in a DCA sanctioned show if they are both in it, and 5 of the 6 only have 300 or so miles to meet up with another DCA-S corps. MCL is about 200miles from CV/Alliance. (Not to complain, but the nearest show GCS can hit would be about 670miles.)

[camel lips]

Just want to point out a couple issues here...

While DCAS is full of talent, your choices of corps to march with are seriously limited.

Distances are considerable in DCAS, so there are even fewer options that are just a few hours down the road. As a reference, distances from Rochester: ShenSound - 400miles, Gold - 650miles, Alliance - 936miles, CV - 990miles, TBT - 1328miles, GCS - 1600miles. MCL is 772miles.

h

Keep in mind that Championships are moving further south in 2012. I think the Atlanta corps have less than a 10 hour commute now.

Atlanta From Nashville can be done in 4 hours if the pedal is to the metal. Ive done it. The Alabama corps can be done in less than 2 hours from Nashville. Lots of choices for the age outs from the Nashville area.

[camel lips]

When MC (the local corps) goes from marching 50 something in 2010 now planning to field a full 150 this summer................of course MCL will have problems meeting the minimum (35) limit rule.

On the surface this seems logical but being here puts a whole new light on the situation.

I know of only one under 22 year old from MCL that has or is marching MCDC. There may be more of them but I am unaware of them. Most of the "youngsters" (and adults) at MCL all went to Alliance in 2010 and more have followed in 2011.

Having worked the recruiting booth right across from MCDC I can tell you the kids that were going to the booth at MCDC were interested in marching a DCI corps and NOT a DCA corps. Various reasons for that I suppose. I am sure marketing and exposure of MCDC, the peer pressure to march a DCI corps and the success MCDC has seen in terms of scores and scoring all played a factor in the success of MCDC.

For anyone to think that MCDC had something to do with MCL inability to field is simply false. Again look at the Atlanta corps. There are two of them.Both are highly competitive and score well at finals. They are competing head to head with Spirit Of ATLANTA for kids. So the whole issue of MCDC being a factor in this equation is simply not true.

Edited May 16, 2011 by camel lips

[Reed]

Also as an MCL board member, I reiterate what Laurie said. We wish nothing but the best for MCDC, and all our friends in DCA. While another corps in our immediate area probably does put a strain on our recruiting, other factors are involved as well.

Also, Ed, there are many more than one former young MCL members that have either marched with or are marching with MCDC this year. (Not to mention the ones who are marching world class corps this year...) Just thinking for a few seconds I though of at least 5-6, and that doesn't include kids I didn't know from 08-09.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Reed

[Jimbalaya]

sad news indeed, but wise to convene in 4 weeks to see what can be done.....best wishes to MCL

[eric24]

DCA is getting younger members and MCL marched over forty horns in 2009. That's why I find it hard that the 35 member rule would hurt this corps. Nevertheless, hope to see you back for 2012 strong as ever. I hope that contra soloist comes back.....that guy is awesome.

[hairbear]

h

Keep in mind that Championships are moving further south in 2012. I think the Atlanta corps have less than a 10 hour commute now.

Atlanta From Nashville can be done in 4 hours if the pedal is to the metal. Ive done it. The Alabama corps can be done in less than 2 hours from Nashville. Lots of choices for the age outs from the Nashville area.

Cincinnati Tradition has a few openings, as well.

[Jeff Ream]

To all of this I have this to say.

You can hate me, bash me, tell me to, grow up, get real, go back to my Nursing Home and stop living in the past. I know I might be Wrong. (Been there done that also.)

But !There is a difference between two groups having similar names. Like this year. Adding Both, "Tampa Bay Thunder" and "Arkansas Thunder".

They are about 950 MILES apart, and BOTH have, as a Part of their name, giving more Information. Clearly not even people NOT connected to Drum Corps will have no Problem.

When I first saw the info on the start up of the DCI, O.C. group. I sent an email asking, "WHY that name?" "Was there Nothing else is could be?" "If nothing else could you at least add something to it, so to stop any confusion, by Potential Members, Donors, or event Sponsors?" "No". That was what they wanted, by a majority of those connected. So it looked to me like there was more to it than was put out by the "New" organization. I just knew deep down inside this was NOT going to be good for M.C.L. But they, M.C.L. being a Class group never said a word about things. They played nice as possible with the "Newbies"

Even without the Name confusion. It is a lot harder to get, and keep, a Drum Corps going in an area outside the Northeast. Where there are So Many Options for people, no matter what age. (DCI, DCA, Alumni/Exhibition, Mini Corps, ETC.) With a Large population of people. Many, many, with Experience.

OH WELL. A Sad day for sure. We will miss some hardworing, friendly people that were M.C.L this year.

no offense, but the North East isn't exactly over flowing with DCA corps anymore either

[Jeff Ream]

Well Cam. Lips.

You are Absolutly right with " .....with one agenda. To build the best DCI corps they could." I Do Not doubt that at all.

"DCAS is full of talent and choices of corps to march with. Two power house corps (Alliance and CorpVets) are just a few hours down the road. Florida is seeing some progress with their corps. Alabama is showing some growth in the mini corps arena. Shenandoah Sound is on what?? Their 100th season in exsistance??? (kidding). But they keep on trucking."

Well if you have read much of my Posts on here you would know that, I am VERY aware of the GROWTH of DCA over all and DCA-S in particular. I have mentioned ALL the groups you mentioned Many, Many Times, to Prove that DCA should be able to GROW out West better.(and other places) The South was never a Corps Hot spot in the the Big Time Drum and Bugle Corps History. But, DCA - South, Proved it Can be done , and done Well. Now look at the Growth in the Midwest since the "Olden Day's" also. " Minn. Brass", "Kilties", "Govies", on one side and "Cinci Tradition" and now "Ark. Thunder", (and who knows. "Lakeshore" might be back one day) on the other side Maybe more to come (Prairie Sound ETC). They have come a long way back since "Skokie", "Hamns", and "Spirit of '76", ETC. all went away. Back near the Top again!

I only mentioned the Northeast was because of: the Larger amount of people, and many more people with Experience to get members from. Then the ease to compete more in a smaller area at least at first. The number of people that march, or have marched, or know someone that: either Did or Does march is Far greater in the Northeast thats all.

My Point was. I do not beilieve that the group in DCI Open Class did not think the name "They Chose", well After a Group with just about the "same Name" in the "same Place" would Not be a problem to the ALREADY existing group. Like I said. I wrote to them about that, Before they got the thing going. They just did Not Care. So any way. If you think that I was "disrespectful to the DCI O.C. group. That is fine with me.

I happen to CARE more about a DCA group we will not have, more than a DCI group, that may, or may not have hurt a DCA group. It seems their Plan worked out well for them, no matter what either of us, thinks is right.

while rare that I agree with Ed , do you expect DCA to just show up somewhere, plant a flag and say "we want a corps here!" ??

It takes hard work...ask those people in San Francisco. DCA has grown tremendously in 10 years, but it took 60 years to get what we have in the North East and that's not exactly stable Sally either when it comes to corps health.

My advice is, since you seem to know so much, get down to MCL and show them the way

[JimF-LowBari]

Why "that name" and was it trademarked??? Holy #### isn't Memphis itself called "Music City"? Maybe the city should go after both corps for infringement.... Probably have as much luck as when Hershey tried going after another place that called itself "Chocolate Town". Court told 'em to get real... and take a hike.....