The Cavaliers 2023

[DCI Fan 9287928734]

I get the idea that it may be a work in progress. No change in the music I don't think - just drill.

[Cavidad]

Rest breaks during the day too. Necessary due to traveling and the heat. I assume all corps do this but I'm guessing most are not making major drill changes.

Edited July 19, 2023 by Cavidad

[DCI Fan 9287928734]

True, but my son told me they performed the new ending last night from the stepover on. He didn't feel it went well, though.

[Cavidad]

1 hour ago, DCI Fan 9287928734 said:

True, but my son told me they performed the new ending last night from the stepover on. He didn't feel it went well, though.

I heard the same. I am hopeful they will get it in shape over the next few shows and head to Atlanta in strong shape. I've seen enough Drum Corps seasons to know they have put themselves in a difficult spot with the original drill design. Come from behind rallies happen and I know the young men will do there best. 

Edited July 19, 2023 by Cavidad

[BlueStainGlass]

5 hours ago, PopcornEater1963 said:

11 days off Flo in a 7 week season has been strange indeed. As a parent of a FMM I don’t remember this happening before this year. 

I mean technically last year when they say out because of covid running through 😅

[scheherazadesghost]

Caught a recent recipe.

I still enjoy this show. Yes, it's a melange for the alum on an anniversary. Yes they're a young corps I guess. And sometimes it's okay to throw out the playbook and regard for scoring and just enjoy the summer together. Let the staff worry about scoring and placement, just do the work of delivering it to the audience and enjoying time with other members.

I could sit here and comment on what I think should be better or how to get it there, but why? All the corps are clearly still learning and re-learning what it even means to have a tour. Even the high scoring ones are waking up to the reality that they don't have it all down. I'm sure Cavies, as an old-dog organization, can understand and relate to that.

This is what drum corps should always be at its heart. Flags and horns and drums on a field, moving and making art together. That's what I see on the field with Cavies this season and that's what the org has given this group of young men the chance to do... as well as the chance to do so playing music and running drill that their predecessors did. I think I would have massively enjoyed marching this show.

Also, at least their corps is still active. Even when there were many many more corps on the field, it was still a rare and precious gift. To the Cavies parents here: my mentor was a mid 90s Cavie in the guard. He remained a good friend until he died way too young. The Cavie legacy can be beautiful. So I'm here to say, through my mentor's voice, that these young men have lots to be proud of.

[Old Corps Guy]

This schedule looks a lot like the BD format.  Avoiding three nights in a row and getting more practice time.  I know they won't be a top tier corps this year, just a change of philosophy in scheduling to build for the future.

Edited July 20, 2023 by Old Corps Guy

[scheherazadesghost]

56 minutes ago, Old Corps Guy said:

This schedule looks a lot like the BD format.  Avoiding three nights in a row and getting more practice time.  I know they won't be a top tier corps this year, just a change of philosophy in scheduling to build for the future.

Cavies have taken several actions like this during the season that help me believe they will sacrifice the show for the safety and wellness of their members. That's no easy to do, but I wish others would follow suit.

Edited July 20, 2023 by scheherazadesghost
typo

[DCI Fan 9287928734]

1 hour ago, scheherazadesghost said:

Caught a recent recipe.

I still enjoy this show. Yes, it's a melange for the alum on an anniversary. Yes they're a young corps I guess. And sometimes it's okay to throw out the playbook and regard for scoring and just enjoy the summer together. Let the staff worry about scoring and placement, just do the work of delivering it to the audience and enjoying time with other members.

I could sit here and comment on what I think should be better or how to get it there, but why? All the corps are clearly still learning and re-learning what it even means to have a tour. Even the high scoring ones are waking up to the reality that they don't have it all down. I'm sure Cavies, as an old-dog organization, can understand and relate to that.

This is what drum corps should always be at its heart. Flags and horns and drums on a field, moving and making art together. That's what I see on the field with Cavies this season and that's what the org has given this group of young men the chance to do... as well as the chance to do so playing music and running drill that their predecessors did. I think I would have massively enjoyed marching this show.

Also, at least their corps is still active. Even when there were many many more corps on the field, it was still a rare and precious gift. To the Cavies parents here: my mentor was a mid 90s Cavie in the guard. He remained a good friend until he died way too young. The Cavie legacy can be beautiful. So I'm here to say, through my mentor's voice, that these young men have lots to be proud of.

Thanks for that. My son messaged me last night that he's hitting that wall of "I just want to go home." He hit a wall earlier in the season, and overcame it and was loving every minute of it. I just keep telling him that he's doing something he'll treasure for the rest of his life. I think the Texas heat is getting to them, and he is frustrated that they aren't scoring higher. I told him much of what you said, and may even send him your post. As a dad, I know that this experience will be invaluable to him. Doing something like drum corps isn't easy. I chose not to do it because I didn't want to put myself through it (I was a trumpet player). I admire him for doing it. I think the scoring system does take away from it being an art, and that's unfortunate. These are young kids, and many don't have the maturity level to appreciate the magnitude of what they are accomplishing. As his Dad, I'm so proud of him for pushing through. I love this show. It's modern, yet reminiscent of the things I really miss from drum corps. I don't really like where the activity has gone. I don't enjoy most of the shows because they are too complex and inaccessible. This show may not get them in the Top 5, but The Cavaliers should be proud that they are showing that you can do a great show WITHOUT all the bells and whistles!

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by DCI Fan 9287928734
Typo

[scheherazadesghost]

15 minutes ago, DCI Fan 9287928734 said:

Thanks for that. My son messaged me last night that he's hitting that wall of "I just want to go home." He hit a wall earlier in the season, and overcame it and was loving every minute of it. I just keep telling him that he's doing something he'll treasure for the rest of his life. I think the Texas heat is getting to them, and he is frustrated that they aren't scoring together.

It's important to help any member know the difference between hitting a wall that can't be overcome without strain and overtraining syndrome, and overcoming a wall that will make you stronger in the end. The Texas heat is worse than I've ever seen it, so what they're being asked to do cannot be overstated. It's possible that there are few Cavies corps (or any for that matter) that have historically been asked to work in this amount of heat for this long. None of us old dogs were ALSO dealing with climate change. Period. Not like this. When that's the case, the scoring system can be ###### for all I care. There's no way to quantify that kind of effort in such a system. And that's just talking heat. There are so many other factors that Cavies and other corps are dealing with right now that can't be quantified by a judge.

15 minutes ago, DCI Fan 9287928734 said:

I told him much of what you said, and may even send him your post. As a dad, I know that this experience will be invaluable to him. Doing something like drum corps isn't easy. I chose not to do it because I didn't want to put myself through it (I was a trumpet player). I admire him for doing it.

I welcome you to share what I've said. Again, it comes from every part of me that was trained by Randy Phillips. See if he can toss that name around with the elders, vets, and alum to see what their reaction is. 😉 He was colorguard perfection: strong, consistent, funny, and light-hearted. Yes, the experience will be invaluable so long as he and his friends aren't tearing their bodies apart doing it. If you or he start to witness or experience symptoms of overtraining, it's time to red flag that with the staff. Heat can make it worse. Rest is the only thing that heals it. And sometimes it's the designers that handed you a show that "can't win" and you just have to make due with what you have. Happens all the time. There's so much gold to be mined in those situations so long as you have a compassionate staff to help you do so.

15 minutes ago, DCI Fan 9287928734 said:

I think the scoring system does take away from it being an art, and that's unfortunate. These are young kids, and many don't have the maturity level to appreciate the magnitude of what they are accomplishing. As his Dad, I'm so proud of him for pushing through. I love this show. It's modern, yet reminiscent of the things I really miss from drum corps. I don't really like where the activity has gone. I don't enjoy most of the shows because they are too complex and inaccessible. This show may not get them in the Top 5, but The Cavaliers should be proud that they are showing that you can do a great show WITHOUT all the bells and whistles!

I love the fact that they nixed the bells and whistles. That's what makes this show so very refreshing. And yes, they stick out a bit from their contemporaries, but I see that as a giant plus even when the system doesn't have a way of rewarding it. I've loved that about this show from the beginning. And ya know what? Most shows that go against the grain don't really begin to come together until after the Texas leg of tour anyway. They're still growing into this show and if they're mostly young, that simply takes more time. It also takes more time to do things the right way, which I've said before Cavies' actions are hinting at, to me at least. Other corps may be pushing their members too hard. That's no good at all.

Cavies '23 have a big fan in me and others who see the value of what they're doing. Don't let them let the scores get to them. They don't matter. They're not going to remember the scores in twenty years. They're going to remember that hey, they put a #### good show on the field that helped them bring Cavies and Cavie fans from all generations together. That's so so so much more important than a stupid number from a judge that's watched way too many drum corps shows in one day.

Hey duders: Don't give the judges that kind of power of your show. They don't deserve it. It's your show that you're doing for yourself and the ones who love you. Never forget that.