84BDsop Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Can we add Nightfire? Founded 1994 (1st auditions the day....THE DAY before the Northridge Earthquake....kinda put a damper on the plans!). Finally fielded for 5 shows in 1996, folded the following year. And since I used the word earlier....the Earthquake (San Diego) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsubone Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I always forget how many corps have been in the California area, even though they still have most, lots have sadly fallen by the wayside. I wonder if anyone has ever tried to compile a list by state of corps that have come and gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I wonder if anyone has ever tried to compile a list by state of corps that have come and gone. I have yearly state-by-state and province-by-province data on which corps were active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsubone Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I have yearly state-by-state and province-by-province data on which corps were active. That is amazing, but I guess that's why you're the historical archive guy, and I'm just a kid asking questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainshdw08 Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 To be truthful, the EK from the mid-late 80's actually merged with QC & Genesseo Knights to form the Quad City Knights in 90. EK reformed as Nite Express in 92, doing rock and blues. #21 in 94(ELP) and 22 in 96(First Knight) To be truthful, we prefered to be called simply "The Knights". Geneseo is the town we were based in before the move to the Quad Cities and official name change to the Quad City Knights. Sorry, had to clarify :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legacy Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Correct. The corps went inactive after 96, even though the bingo kept going. They tried 1 more go at it and it lasted one year. The bingo lousy their license in 04...probably will never see another corps come from CR. Stinks...we had something going...the momentum was there...the BoD leadership was not. In 96 we were huge and ready to get better in 97...oh what could have been. Loved nite express all that music from first knight in 96 was very good. There was also Emerald Knights from Mississauga, Ontario who formed as Emerald cCadets in 1981 and renamed Knights in 86, was sister corps with cedar rapids for a while well old yearbooks say so. The ontario corps was around 1981 to 2001 when they went on to become a performing arts youth group called Emerald Star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSMarcher Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 pretty much these all went away when they switched to open and world. I do not believe this is true. I know this is not the point of this thread, but since it has a somber tone I do want to bring an important fact. Many local/smaller corps have a harder time succeeding, not because of DCI, but because of high school band programs. Obviously I am not stating the high school programs are bad, but I am stating that they have replaced local drum corps. When you couple that with the fact that many high school programs cost more to participate than drum corps did 20 or 30 years ago, and you have students that have to make a choice. Many do not want to pay multiple thousands of dollars to tour Open Class or not have a shot at making Finals. I am not saying everyone has this mentality, but there is a reason why kids who get cut from the top groups don't go and try and fill a spot in a lower placing group. Many kids feel like their marching band program is better than a lot of the Open Class groups (not saying it is true, but I know this to be the thought process)... so when they do not make the group they want, they are content with just participating in their marching band until the next year's auditions. I guess what I am saying is, yes, the national touring model has made it so it is harder to stay in business, but at the same time, it is what the customers (the kids auditioning) want. I do not think it is necessarily DCI as an organization that has lead to these groups folding. Some of it was just because of some TERRIBLE finacial decisions. Most of the others was simply due to lack of interest in their programs. It is true that most drum corps do not teach kids how to play instruments anymore, but that is mostly because they do not have to anymore. Kids get it for a relatively cheap price in the middle school programs. Just my thoughts. Sorry if I derailed the thread with this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dapperpoet Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I do not believe this is true. I know this is not the point of this thread, but since it has a somber tone I do want to bring an important fact. Many local/smaller corps have a harder time succeeding, not because of DCI, but because of high school band programs. Obviously I am not stating the high school programs are bad, but I am stating that they have replaced local drum corps. When you couple that with the fact that many high school programs cost more to participate than drum corps did 20 or 30 years ago, and you have students that have to make a choice. Many do not want to pay multiple thousands of dollars to tour Open Class or not have a shot at making Finals. I am not saying everyone has this mentality, but there is a reason why kids who get cut from the top groups don't go and try and fill a spot in a lower placing group. Many kids feel like their marching band program is better than a lot of the Open Class groups (not saying it is true, but I know this to be the thought process)... so when they do not make the group they want, they are content with just participating in their marching band until the next year's auditions. I guess what I am saying is, yes, the national touring model has made it so it is harder to stay in business, but at the same time, it is what the customers (the kids auditioning) want. I do not think it is necessarily DCI as an organization that has lead to these groups folding. Some of it was just because of some TERRIBLE finacial decisions. Most of the others was simply due to lack of interest in their programs. It is true that most drum corps do not teach kids how to play instruments anymore, but that is mostly because they do not have to anymore. Kids get it for a relatively cheap price in the middle school programs. Just my thoughts. Sorry if I derailed the thread with this. Of the thousands of words I've seen written on this, the above is clear, well-reasoned, and based on actual data. Generously and well said. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersop Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Can't forget the Ventures and the Bon Bon's I first stepped onto the field in uniform for DCI competition in 1994. That was 18 years ago. Since that time, I've watched as a large number of TOURING corps fall by the wayside. I know that since the 70's, the vast majority of active corps have folded. It was pointed out by MikeD in another thread that most of those (up to 85-90%) were local, non-touring groups. With the folding of 3 corps this season alone, it's pretty alarming to see what we've lost in the last 15-20 years. My intent in this thread is to enlist the help of others to compile a comprehensive list of corps that were touring and competing in shows in the last 15 or so years that are not today. I think to show what has disappeared in just that short amount of time might open some eyes to just how much the product has truly diminshed. Here goes...starting with the 3 this year: Forte/Memphis Sound Teal Sound Racine Scouts Bandettes Capitol Sound (Madison Jr Scouts & Capitolaires) Capital Regiment Americanos Les Etoiles North Force Southwind Magic of Orlando Freelancers Sunrisers Academie Musicale Dutch Boy Delta Brigade Sky Riders (not sure when they folded) Suncoast Sound Florida Wave Northmen Northern Aurora Nite Express Emerald Knights Esperanza East Coast Jazz Tarheel Sun Patriots Coachmen Railmen L' Insolite Kiwanis Kavaliers Quad City Knights Golden Knights Allegiance Elite Cardinals St. Johns Spectrum Black Gold Lake Erie Regiment Star of Indiana Quest H.Y.P.E Fever Citations Vision Elite Targets Yamato Mystikal Jester Pride of the Lions Cadets of New York Cincinnati Glory Marion Glory Cadets General Butler Vagabonds Les Senateurs Knight Storm West Coast Sound Phoenix Legend of Texas Edmonton Strutters Sentinelles Kips Bay Crusaders Silver Knights Decorah Kilties Joliet Kingsmen Scenic City Royal Knights Pride of Soka Incognito Mauraders Ventures Cadets of Dutch Boy Kips Bay Knight Club PRC/Phantom Legion Limited Edition Golden Lancers Drawing a blank on several, but there's a good start. Add yours and I'll continue updating the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 If you are going to do this list is should accompany a list of all the highschool marching band programs that have grown and TAKEN THE PLACE of what these corps used to offer to younger kids. The number of great marching bands that have sprouted up has an inverse relationship to the number of corps that went bust imo. But obviously your point isn't lost... Also, WGI has exploded in that time period. There wasn't even a WGI Percussion in 1994! I know plenty of students who choose to compete in WGI rather than DCI (partially due to money, partially due to time commitments, partially due to interest levels). One area of the marching arts shrinks, other areas grow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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