ChildrenOfAugmentation Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 (edited) I had a fairly long post describing my love affair with drum corps for the past 9 years. It was deleted before I posted it on accident. So this is kind of an abbreviated version. This is my first post on this account, but any DCP vet circa 06-09 may remember me as PhantomR, for better or for worse. At the time, I was an opinionated teenager who hadn't marched. Now I'm 23, graduating college in December with degrees in psychology and biology, and I'm a professional sportswriter. As in, I get paid to write about sports. Which is awesome. Further, I've matured. And during my maturation, I fell out of love with drum corps. As I mentioned, I am young. I am not someone who thinks G bugles should be brought back and that amplification is a bad thing. In fact, I think it adds to most shows. But as a veteran of a WGI Independent World finalist indoor percussion ensemble, I can say with some authority that DCI is about two steps behind WGI in terms of design. DCI has become a series of WGI shows on a football field with brass added. That's not a bad thing, but over the course of the past few years, it has lost my interest for whatever reason, even despite my veteran marching status and the fact that I'm still very active in indoor percussion. When I saw the Reading Buccaneers for the first time this season (via Scranton on the FN), I was stunned. Seriously stunned. I've followed DCA as avidly as DCI since I first became interested in drum corps, and I can truly say that I have never seen a DCA show with such a high level of difficulty pulled off as well as the Bucs have been doing this season. Their drill is daring and fast paced. The velocity is outstanding. The music is exposed and exciting, the idea of the show is as self-explanatory as it gets, and it delivers on every level. This is to take nothing away from any other DCA corps, either. I will not hesitate to say that the Bucs have been the catalyst for DCA evolution since the mid-2000's, but most top DCA corps are doing a great job embracing the times. Atlanta CV has improved so much over just the past year that it's almost hard to believe that it's the same corps. But the Bucs have done something I didn't really think was possible... they took a show with a level of difficulty rivaling or surpassing many junior corps, have rehearsed only on weekends, and have created a production that has literally made me fall in love with corps all over again. As fate would have it, I am moving to Philadelphia in January (job offer, and an agent that wants to sign me for my book). This is fortuitous, as I have been itching to march again. I hope to be a Buc in 2014. Most of you probably don't know me. Some of you might remember me faintly. But this was an open letter to the Reading Buccaneers, and DCA in general, to thank you all for absolutely blowing me away this season. Everyone at Scranton was great, and I have managed to see almost every DCA corps this season. It's truly been a more entertaining season than DCI for me. Can't wait to see you guys in Maryland. If any of you all would like to meet up with me while there, feel free to contact me. I'm a pretty introverted guy, but I am ready to immerse myself into the DCA community as I have with indoor percussion. Edited August 29, 2013 by ChildrenOfAugmentation 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mendozaman Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 ...When I saw the Reading Buccaneers for the first time this season (via Scranton on the FN), I was stunned. Seriously stunned. I've followed DCA as avidly as DCI since I first became interested in drum corps, and I can truly say that I have never seen a DCA show with such a high level of difficulty pulled off as well as the Bucs have been doing this season. Their drill is daring and fast paced. The velocity is outstanding. The music is exposed and exciting, the idea of the show is as self-explanatory as it gets, and it delivers on every level. ....But the Bucs have done something I didn't really think was possible... they took a show with a level of difficulty rivaling or surpassing many junior corps, have rehearsed only on weekends, and have created a production that has literally made me fall in love with corps all over again. As fate would have it, I am moving to Philadelphia in January (job offer, and an agent that wants to sign me for my book). This is fortuitous, as I have been itching to march again. I hope to be a Buc in 2014..... I'm totally with you on this. I had my doubts early in the season, but after seeing the Scranton show, I was also amazed at how well Bucs were doing such a difficult show. The difference in drill speed with the other corps is what strikes me the most. I guess it helps that they all look about 19 years old out there. Once in awhile I think about trying to march again, but my 49 year old knees could never hold up with what the Bucs are doing on the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleBknown Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 I'm totally with you on this. I had my doubts early in the season, but after seeing the Scranton show, I was also amazed at how well Bucs were doing such a difficult show. The difference in drill speed with the other corps is what strikes me the most. I guess it helps that they all look about 19 years old out there. Once in awhile I think about trying to march again, but my 49 year old knees could never hold up with what the Bucs are doing on the field. If the 55 year old guy can handle bucs this year, I'm sure your 49 year old knees can next year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drilltech1 Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 If the 55 year old guy can handle bucs this year, I'm sure your 49 year old knees can next year. With velocity style drills, the ankles are as vunerables as the knees and often more so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 welcome back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChildrenOfAugmentation Posted August 29, 2013 Author Share Posted August 29, 2013 I've been getting a lot of messages welcoming me back and thanking me. The WGI percussion community is very much like that... a place where everyone knows everyone, and at the end of the day, we're with a bunch of people sharing something we love. In hindsight, I should have addressed this to all corps. The reason I mentioned the Bucs so prominently is because, like I said, their show is just simply astounding to me this year. MBI, the Cabs, CV, C2, and everyone else have been taking steps forward as well, but the Bucs were the first 2013 show I saw, and the sheer difficulty hooked me instantly. As I briefly mentioned in my post, every corps I have seen this year has been great, and I am just glad to be back in the drum corps community, especially the DCA community. You guys are great, the shows are great, and I am absolutely itching to get to Maryland to see everyone, not just the Bucs. I'm cheering for everyone this weekend. Can't wait to meet some of you guys there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 I dig this post, very much. There's a corps that will reach to everyone in a very personal way. It's not the same corps for everybody, and you found yours, the corps that speaks to you, the one you want to be a part of. I think there's one out there for the Mendozaman too. If I didn't have such a crap work schedule, I even think there could be a corps or three callin' me too, if they had a spot, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChildrenOfAugmentation Posted August 31, 2013 Author Share Posted August 31, 2013 (edited) Hello all, Didn't know where to post this other than here. Responding to the messages would've taken a while to talk about something that I'd rather just spit out. My grandmother passed away yesterday, and I'm not going to be in Annapolis with you all this weekend. While I think drum corps would do well for my mood, there are arrangements to be made and there is grieving to be done. Everyone who sent a message my way, you have no idea how much it meant to me. It was great to meet all of you. I'll still try to talk with you all via skype or phone or just through DCP messages, or whatever. I'm going to try to catch as much of prelims as I can tonight. I'll be cheering for everyone tonight.You guys are awesome, best of luck to everyone performing tonight, and I hope all of the spectators have a blast as well. Edited August 31, 2013 by ChildrenOfAugmentation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Percussion827 Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 Condolences to your family as you go through this endeavor. I, as well, am contemplating going back to DCA. Maybe not with Bucs, as I am aware of my physical and playing limitations. However, I have been thinking elsewhere should my own work schedule finally open me back to the field. Coincidentally, I am also a percussionist. It is my hope that you make your corps of heart. But should you be turned away, that you look at other corps around the Philadelphia and other locales who would also be happy to have you as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChildrenOfAugmentation Posted September 1, 2013 Author Share Posted September 1, 2013 Condolences to your family as you go through this endeavor. I, as well, am contemplating going back to DCA. Maybe not with Bucs, as I am aware of my physical and playing limitations. However, I have been thinking elsewhere should my own work schedule finally open me back to the field. Coincidentally, I am also a percussionist. It is my hope that you make your corps of heart. But should you be turned away, that you look at other corps around the Philadelphia and other locales who would also be happy to have you as well. First off, thank you for the condolences. My family and I have been taking it well for the most part. She was my great grandmother, and had lived a full, healthy 102 year life. We've had several years coming to terms and preparing for this time. I mentioned in the play-by-play thread tonight that if she knew that I had tickets to DCA prelims and finals, and an invitation to the Bucs rehearsal today, grandma would have told me to skip her funeral and go have my fun. She was that kind of person. Naturally I'd never skip her funeral, of course. Regarding marching, I am both a percussionist and a brass player. I've done my time in WGI, now I want to try DCA on brass, which will hopefully make getting into the corps a little easier, as percussion is significantly more competitive, no matter the activity or circuit. Should I be cut or make a decision change and want to march bass instead, living near Philly is the quintessential location to find a DCA corps to march, so it's definitely the plan to march somewhere somehow next season. After watching tonight's performances on the FN, it'd be a privilege to march anywhere. I hope you, too, find the luck to get back into the activity. We might end up marching together or competing against each other, and I've learned that DCA is quite similar to WGI in that competition between corps is much more friendly than you'd expect. Thank you again, it means a lot. And good luck to you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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