First time at Finals!

[JustABandMom]

Well, I'm so excited - in a couple of days we'll be on our way to our very first DCI Finals! Our son is a rookie this year, and we just had to make finals our vacation destination. Couldn't miss his very first one. (And one never knows if there will be more to come. -- It's a very expensive activity, and a HUGE time committment when other responsibilities are calling at this time in a kid's life.)

Anyway - I face the same dilemna that I had for the 2 shows we saw this year - should I be a fan in the stands and watch the show, or should I spend time and hang around the corps to see what pre-show and post show rituals are? And are family even allowed to hang around the corps at the stadium? I think so from the all lot videos and discussions. Had planned to watch the corps rehearse earlier in the day, but I read that Cadets practice was closed. Never thought about that. I'll have to ask my son.

What do other parents do? Of course, most are probably gone now - already on their way. We are just going Thursday thru Friday. We have tickets to semis and finals. Didn't get tickets to quarterfinals. Thought maybe I'd use that day to hang out in the parking lot with the corps. Might change our minds and try to scare us some tickets to that too. I still haven't seen the Crossmen's show and really want to see it. Do they still do the retreat at finals - where the corps all line up on the field for the announcement of scores? It looks like it from the pictures.

Any advice from those who've been there for a first time finals parent and drum corps rookie mom - what to do and how to get the most from it? What works and what doesn't? :)

[JMS0527]

I'd say to watch the corps perform and enjoy them all

Your son is going to be getting his game face on and thinking about the show ahead...the corps will be getting focused so there's not going to be much to do but just watch

Really...getting to see the finals is a rare thing indeed (except for some on here who work it out to see them every year)

I'd say sit and enjoy everyone

[Krista]

as a side note.... try not to talk too much about things back home, stuff your son has to do once finals is over etc. until it's actually over. it can help him maintain focus on the last tasks at hand with his corps, and will take some stress off of him until he has time to think AFTER finals.

and I agree w/jason...just go, watch, be open to new things, and enjoy. :)

[sdstar]

We are just going Thursday thru Friday. We have tickets to semis and finals. Didn't get tickets to quarterfinals.

Aren't semis and finals on Friday and Saturday?

[MikeBob]

We are just going Thursday thru Friday. We have tickets to semis and finals. Didn't get tickets to quarterfinals.

I wouldn't mention this if it weren't for your repeated claims of rookieness yourself, but are you sure it's Thursday and Friday? Or is it Friday and Saturday? Because Quarters is on Thursday and Semis are on Friday, so if you don't have tickets for Saturday you aren't actually going to Finals. Just checking to confirm you meant Friday and Saturday instead of Thursday and Friday.

[JustABandMom]

I wouldn't mention this if it weren't for your repeated claims of rookieness yourself, but are you sure it's Thursday and Friday? Or is it Friday and Saturday? Because Quarters is on Thursday and Semis are on Friday, so if you don't have tickets for Saturday you aren't actually going to Finals. Just checking to confirm you meant Friday and Saturday instead of Thursday and Friday.

Oops - you're right. That should be Thursday through Sunday - we'll be there Thursday through Sunday, and have tickets for Friday and Saturday night.

That would be something - if we had tickets for the wrong nights!! Dumb, but funny.

[thenextone]

I think you should feel free to watch the corps. Just be aware of the fact that your son probably won't have too much time to stop and chat.

[JustABandMom]

Good points, everyone. We've stayed out of his way at the shows we went to so he could focus on the show. So, I guess the same goes here - but even more so! Thanks for pointing that out.

[davam]

I agree with the above: be a fan! Take in the variety of corps, revel in their repertoires, cheer for them as loudly as you do for your son's corps! You've only been to two shows this year, so there's a lot you haven't seen.

Plus this will make for fun discussions with your son, comparing what other corps do. And he in turn can talk about meeting so-and-so from Corps X and how cool the kids are from Corps Z, etc.

Your son can only march for a limited number of years, but you can be a fan of the activity for life!

[gottalovit]

First off enjoy every minute of it. I would take as much time to see as many corps perform as you can. I would even recommend that you see DII/III finals or semis if you can get the chance. There are some amazing corps out there in every division.

As far as getting to spend much quality time with the individual corps, you won't get much chance at that. Most corps are so focused that last few days they don't have time for much else. And to the average person, rehearsals aren't always that much fun. They tend to take what they consider the weakest parts of their show, and rehearse them over and over and over. So get to the stadium and see as many corps as you can.

If you want to see everyone in DI perform, I would suggest going to quarterfinals, and then if you decide you want to hang with the corps, I would do that on semis night, as you can pick and choose the corps you would want to see again. Then on finals night, I would suggest you might want to be in the stands for all the corps, as the place is absolutely electric, and Camp Randall is like no other stadium.

Have a safe and wonderful trip. I know your son will appreciate you being there for one of the most exciting weeks of his life :)