On Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 1:07:14 AM UTC-7, Big Rich Soprano wrote:

This is sic from that group. It's important enough to present here...

Because of the Direction that "DCI" turned.
Because of the way "DCA" is turning.
Because "Mini Corps" is nothing more than a DCI type unit of 20 Brass
and a Drum Set
Because I am not into Band, Dance, Theater, Orchestra like Ensembles
on the Field..
Because my health is not all that great anyway.

Now it seems to be time to say "Good Bye" to Drum Corps.
( I said "Good Bye" to Junior Corps Bands years and years ago. )

Do not get me wrong. I am NOT saying that what is done today, in what
is called "Drum Corps" is BAD. It is excellent. It is just not what I
want.
Most of today's things are more, "Band Theater", done on a football
field.
Like last few years. You can not take away from what the Buc's have
done. Outstanding in every way. BUT, to me. I would have preferred the
Empire Statesmen won. I also liked the Renegades a lot. They both seem
to do "Old Style" in a "NEW Style" way. Yes there were others. Some
more than others I enjoyed. Where as, to me. The "Buc's" were just
another DCI World Class top 15 type thing. More for the Adjudicators
(Judges) than the people in the stands. It works for them. Soooooo.
GOOD for them. It is just, "not for ME". The Bushwakers were saying on another web site that the Average age for the group was "19 ". That is
funny. due to the Fact that the Average age for a group in DCI W.C.
top 12 is a few months short of/or just over 21. (not sure if you
know, but, you you can march the FULL season in DCI at 22 years old,
if your birthday is after JUNE 1st. That's before the season even
begins.) Bush held an event in Toms River, NJ (where I live. NO I did
not attend.) There was NO, None, 0 advertising to the general public.
The Asbury Park Press (the 2nd or 3rd largest selling paper in the
STATE. Had Nothing. (Before or After) Not even in the "Date Book"
section. (Lists everything any group, or org has coming up. Seven days
a week, and can be listed Weeks in advance.) Then on Sat. there is a
special section of the paper that tells in detail. All about,
Concerts, Festivals, Events of all kinds in Both Monmouth and Ocean
Counties. No nothing in there either. No it seems they they were happy
with the HS Band people and on places like DCP. But they did have a
DCI style "Clinic" for HS Band "Kids" (which by the way Included
woodwinds). Then their "event" which had 4 DCA groups and 3 BANDS.
(and cost More than the ALL DCA, "8" group show in upstate NY) Well,
GOOD. All went as planned and they are Happy. BUT how many MORE could
have been there? Being a Very Large Retirement area (About 60 to 70%
of the well over 200,000 in the area. Most from the North Jersey, NYC,
and Philly area. Think any of them "Might" have taken part in a "Drum
and Bugle Corps" ?)
DCA and all is just becoming "DCI LITE" or "DCI All Age Weekends Only"
Adults of 30, 40 or 50 years old will find it more and more impossible
to take part. Due to Work, Home, Family and other Real Life things.
Almost ALL the Cass A groups are the "New" DCI style. The number of
Open Class changing to DCI style is growing every year. (Buc's - Minn.
Brass - Bush leading the way) Let's face it if the Judges prefer that.
Then Reward that. So that is what the different groups are going to
do. Does not matter what the Crowd wants.

SO !!!!!
I think it may be time to say "Good Bye" to "Drum and Bugle Corps",My
health (you can now add Cancer to my Asthma,COPD, and Diabeties),
I wiill always miss the "Old Style" Entertainment that I so loved, but
as they say, times move on, and so do Nancy and I.

I hope all Go Forth and Prosper.
Good Luck and Enjoy.
( what ever type thing you choose. )

Tommy

I agree with you 100%. I'm from Brick but, now I'm retired and live in Montana. I was with the Cabs in '72, '73 and '75. Things were starting to change way back then. Off the line from the corner instead of company fronts. I was pretty much done with
drum corp when the color guards started coming out dressed in spandex no where near matching the corp they're with.

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