Drum Corps 2013 Season, Scores

Today DCI's Southeast Regional Championship takes place in Atlanta. As normal, with two more weeks to go in the season, the placements of how 21 of the Corps will finish is playing out more or less as expected. They are falling in line with the predictions that took place prior to the first performances of the season.

The Southwestern Championship again solidifies wha will be the final placements. A few Corps may improve their placement by a placement or two, but for the most part where Corps finish at the Championship will mirror what occurs in Indianapolis three weeks later. Atlanta and Allentown will set up the drama and hint of the drama the judges have in store for the semi-finals and finals.

Baring a surprise in Atlanta the judges set a week ago the twelve finalists. Unlike most years, in 2013 there will not be the normal battle for 12th coming out of the Eastern Championship. The Blue Stars will return to the finals, and likely be in 11th. The placements within the top 15 are set.

The only questions outstanding are,
      - will the judges concede that Blue Devils do not have a championship calibre show as do Carolina Crown and the Cadets. Will the judges allow Crown to win? Expect DCI officiating to use Allentown to hint of the finals night drama. Do not expect BD to be third or even fourth, politically that cannot happen. The DCI script is designed for Crown to overtake BD on finals night to win their first championship, leaving Cadets third and with Vanguards on their heals in 4th.
      - will the judges move the Cavaliers who have their third poor show in a row, allow this G7 Corps to finish below 7th? They should be 9th or 10th but politically a predestined G7 cannot fall that low without is undermining the claims and plans of the powerful G7 to have their special tour and events.
      - will Boston Crusaders or Blue Knights be 9th leaving the 10th to the other.

I'm not enamored by DCI scoring, haven't been for many years. It is too predicable and is therefore suspect. If DCI's scoring was the stock market, the market would more or less be flat every day for a decade. DCI leadership and the top Corps claim that scoring is strictly objective and their objectivity negates subjectivity that creates score fluctuations. Ah, but either explanation overlooks that humans are not machines that do much the same again and again and again. Inconsistency of human behavior is a factor that by its nature creates randomness. The human element does not lead to predictability and provides a significant degree of randomness that is not evidenced in DCI scores.

Sports teams and other musical groups do not perform consistently night to night. Because of the human variable a top team can be beaten by a bottom team. I cannot agree that every Corps is on every night in the same manner as the scores would suggest. One night a stronger Corps could be less focused and another who is a lower very sharp, meaning the one should drop, and the other rise, but this is not evidenced in the scoring. Also, where one judge focuses on a given night will be the same as a judge the next night viewing the same element and Corps.  One will see some mistakes or issues that another does not...again causing a higher or lower evaluation than another judge. As what they noticed varies from judge to judge, and night to night, this would add to some score fluctuations and placements. Lack of such placement fluctuations is highly suspect.

That little placement and scoring fluctuations undermines DCI's claims of impartiality and objectivity. They are arguing against in the real world human experience, where human consistency does not occur in their scoring suggests every year. To put it another way, the predictability of DCI scoring is like watching a pitcher who averages a strike out per inning getting from the umpires exactly that, a strikeout every single inning, and a batter who hits .250, always get a hit every 4 times at bat.

DCI is not unlike the state of world figure skating of the 70s through the 90s, an enjoyable entertaining activity to watch, but as the scoring is too political, to scripted, and has to be ignored.

Drum Corps 2013 Season

The 2013 audition season is well underway. This is the first time since 2007 that we will not have monthly trips to the airports. I will not miss Josh's monthly trips to San Antonio. Though we will not be following the season on a daily basis and as deeply as in the past, we will continue to follow the activity, take in shows when we can, and cheer for the Crossmen.

The amount of work that these young people give to preparing the shows, drilling all day from early morning until they pack to go to a show is demanding to say the least. For three months sleeping on buses and on floors, eating most meals sitting on the grass or at a curb, sweating bucks every day in the glare of the hot sun, and getting oneself psyched up each night for a show is something that only the most disciplined and lover of the activity can endure yearly. While most participants march only for one or two years, the number who march for four, five and six years is greater than I would have imagined.

If you ever get an opportunity to take in a DCI show, do so. Do not only take in the show, but also before or after wonder through the lot containing their equipment trucks and buses. Doing so will help remind you of what these young people give on a daily basis to entertain their audiences. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vzPU46OoIo

2010 Crossmen Show

Following is the link to the 2010 Allenton Crossmen show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErnhxJZ96Vo

Pre-Performance Work

Following is a clip that gives you an idea of what takes place ahead of each performance a DCI Corps undertakes. The caravan here is representative...for the Crossmen to vehicles are missing, the souveneir truck and trailer, and the volunteer van.

Josh is seen several times in this clip, once early as he walks towards the camera in yellow/gold shorts.

After the show, all the equipment is packed up, they change, they hang out and eat, take in the remainder of the show and then leave for the area of the next show...and sleeping on the bus and then on a gymn floor when they arrive between 2 and 6 AM in the morning.

Crossmen, "Full Circle"

This evening Evie and I took in the DCI show that took place at Wakefield HS in Arlington. Though the seating was packed and parking was a challenge for those who did not arrive more than 90 minutes before the show, the show itself was very good and entertaining. We cannot wait to see how the performances will improve over the next month.

From work on Friday we traveled to Bowie MD where the Crossmen were staying. We caught them rehersing and the run through. As you can see from the first photo the field in Bowie was in rough shape and dusty. We visited with Josh for 5 minutes and gave him a care package before he had to run off for a shower (they are given assigned times).




Below are pictures from the Arlington show. Josh is in each picture. In the first he is in the center of the picture...in the second he is the one moving.

In the above and below picture he is in center of the picture but in the back beside the contra-base.

Evie and I enjoyed the Crossmen show. We really enjoyed the show from two years ago entitled "Planet X". We think this year's show, "Full Circle" is stronger and more entertaining than "Plantet X".

We did not get to see Josh today...we did not expect to do so with the crowds and all the logistics that take place. Seeing him before is impossible as they are warming up and remained focused on show preperation. Catching him after a show is most difficult as they are packing equipment and getting ready to leave.

We head out on a camping trip in the morning. We delayed heading out of town to see the DCI show.

The Contrabase

Whenever I watch DCI Corps rehearse it is the contrabase players who I admire more than others. Like all the others in the Corps they work on little sleep and drill all day long. They move swiftly across the field while lugging their instrument. Below is a picture of a contrabase.

All day long the lift upon their shoulders and play these instruments. Below is a picture that show the difference in size between the baritone and the contrabase. The last gives an indication how the contrabase is played, with one end on your shoulder while holding the rest on your arms. Imagine lifting and lowering, and marching with this thing from sunrise to sunset day after day. Talk about sore shoulders and arms.....hence, my admiration.

Report on Josh

Due to rain we did not get a chance to see the 2009 Crossmen perform their show in Fort Edward. Evie and I spent two days helping to prepare four meals a day for the Corps….that is about 200 meals at a time.

I did get to take some pictures of a rehearsal on the afternoon of July 1, just about an hour before the rain started.

In this year’s show Josh is involved in a dance flair before the commencement of a small ensemble made up of baritones. Once again he is already well tanned…when he takes off his shoes and puts on his sandals his white feet stand out. He also has a light forehead as the cap peak has kept that area of his face from tanning as quickly.

It was a hoot watching them pull into the school in Fort Ann at 8:30 Tuesday. They had been on the bus from Erie PA all night long. They look exhausted, but they crashed for two hours before a 10 AM breakfast (prepared by a local civic group) and the start of their day. Though exhausted, Josh sounds and appears happy....he loves the rigor and the performing.

Joshua Flies to Texas

At 8:30 this morning Josh boarded a Southwest flight for Chicago-Midway where he catches a flight to San Antonio TX. After a few weeks of drill he will be marching across the country with the Crossmen.

Last night Jonathan, Maggie, Evie and I took Josh out for a nice dinner at J R's Steakhouse, an upscale restaurant in Tyson's corner. This was his last real sit down meal until early August as over the coming ten weeks his meals will eating meals sitting on grass and pavement that are served from a rolling cooking unit.

We wish Josh and the Crossmen well on their upcoming season.

World Champion Performance.

In recent days the Phantom Regiment’s 2008 “Spartacus” show has made it onto YouTube. Though the resolution and sound are not the best you can still get a good sense of the show that earned Phantom first place. It was a dramatic show, that was well executed and with quality sound. Though the Blue Devils and Carolina Crown had a little stronger sound musically, the drama of the Phantom’s show made the difference. Phantom beat Blue Devils by the narrowest victory possible.

The show not only represents the quality of the music that separates the top five from the rest of the field but it also shows the athleticism that is found within their shows. I cannot imagine such athleticism while playing so musically and keeping in step. If you ever get a chance to take in the DCI World Championships or a DCI show near you that has some of the best bands, you will not regret doing so. I am still in awe of this show as well as the Blue Devils and Caveliers show.

Watch for the coupe at the end of the show...the Roman General gets overthrown.

2009 DCI Season Starts

The beginnings of the 2009 DCI season are underway with Corps holding audition camps. This weekend Josh has taken a bus to Dallas to help out the Crossmen with the audtion camp being held there. They want as many vets as possible to help tell the story of what it is like to march.

On the weekend prior to coming home for Christmas will be going to San Antonio to attend the Crossmen banquet. At the banquet they will be showing the video from last year. To help promote their work the Crossmen have posted samples from their 2008 video.