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The One About DCI Tour Fees
175 Plays11 months ago
Join our hosting panel as they dive into Drum Corps Tour Fees and what they are excited about for the 2024 DCI Season. Our hosts bring you their stories, plus news, guests, and so much more!
Special Guests
Jeremy from Drum Corps Today - @drumcorpstoday
Meet our Hosts
Jackie Brown - @spintronixguard
Stephen McCarrick - @stephenmccarick
Cindy Barry - @leandermomma
Nicole Younger - @o2bnpjs & @thecookoutcg
Trevor Bailey - @t_pain151
Trish O’Shea - @trishdish1002
Beth Beccone - @bether7189
Chris Rutt - @wildhornbrass1
Cynthia Bernard - @cynthiabern
Ashlee Amos - @famousamossss_
Theo Harrison - @harrisontheo07
Stephanie Click - @stephanieclick
Whitney Stone - @dancerwhit
Justin Surface - @J_dex07
Ashley Tran - @itsashleytran
Jack Goudreau - @goudreau_
Bill Woodward - @remoking100
Emily Nee - @tch.makes.art
Ricardo Robinson-Shinall - @ricardorrobinson
Callie Quire - @cnquire
Austin Hall - @Austin_hall10
Jose Montes - @joeymontes57
Music provided by leydamusic.com Follow him @josh.leyda
Avatars provided by @tch.makes.art
Featuring
Lexi Duda - Host for On A Water Break In Rhinestones - The Stories of the Twirlers @lexi_duda
Thank you also to @guardcloset
#marchingband #colorguard #dci #podcast #onawaterbreak #wgi #drumline
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:00
Speaker
Hi, everyone. We're back here for another week of exciting rehearsals this week. We're talking about dues, fees, the cost of what it takes to do this thing we love so much called Drum Corps. So we'll find out what made Austin say. Uh-huh. That was the thing. It was always kind of like a competition. Who could walk the slowest to retreat? That was always a thing.
00:00:22
Speaker
And what made Jeremy say? It's so exciting. There's so many videos on YouTube. It feels like I'm brand new to the activity again, the first time getting to catch Kora's lives. So exciting. Great. All that and more. So go ahead and get out on the field and we'll see you back on the sidelines for this week's episode of On a Water Break. Eight off the Met and go. Welcome to On a Water Break. The podcast where we talk everything. Marching Arts.
00:00:53
Speaker
Everyone bring
Financial Aspects of Drum Corps Participation
00:00:55
Speaker
it in. It's time for a water break.
00:00:59
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of season two on a water break, a podcast where we talk about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal on a water break. I'm Nicole Younger. Today we're talking drum corps fees, dues, and the resources performers have to help them raise the money that they need for tour. We're also going to tech a little bit into how things have changed since we've marched
00:01:24
Speaker
And now, so with no further ado, let's go to the sidelines and talk to everyone. Let's see. We have Ashley. Hey. Hey. It's good. It's been busy. Have you been doing twirling competitions?
00:01:40
Speaker
Yes, I am judging every single weekend of May. The season isn't done until mid-July, so pretty much the only off-season of twirling is the month of August. And then everything starts back up again in September.
00:01:58
Speaker
Did you get a break? No. Never. Never, ever. So I was just wondering about that because I'm just like, you keep going all the time. But we will get more into that as we go along. Next we have Austin. Hey, Austin. How you going? Hello. Hello. I'm doing great. Good. So are you still on the high from the winter season with the wins group?
00:02:23
Speaker
I'm gonna come down just a little bit. It's been fun. We're already looking for I'm already kind of making plans for 2025 and trying to set my fall schedule and everything. That's kind of what I've been up to. And most importantly, I have been relaxing and taking the break month. The month of May is my break. And I will be taking it. That's how I do it.
00:02:47
Speaker
That's awesome. Okay. And now, just to let you all know, Trish, who is also on today, is producing our show. So, Trish, how's this producing life treating you? I don't know. She's finding out all the things. Okay, good answer. Good answer. And we also have Jeremy here.
Looking Forward to the Drum Corps Season
00:03:09
Speaker
Hi, Jeremy. Hey, everyone. It's great to be back. How excited are you for Drum Corps?
00:03:13
Speaker
This year has gone by really fast, but the end of June can't come soon enough. I'm just so excited for this season. Last year was awesome. I'm so hyped for this year. We have a lot that we're going to be going into and talking about as far as shows go, but that won't be for another month, I'm pretty sure. I have a question for everyone. How much did you pay for your dues when you went on tour?
00:03:42
Speaker
So I didn't actually march DCI. I only did DCA. So our dues weren't, I don't even think they were above $1,000 for the whole season. For some people, that is a lot of money. It still is a lot of money. But for only doing weekends from, I don't know, at like end of WGI to Labor Day weekend,
00:04:11
Speaker
It's a pretty good deal. It's a pretty sweet deal. I'd say it wasn't too bad for me personally. That's fair. Jeremy, what about you? When I started marching back in 2016, it was right around 3,000, 3,500. Since then, it just seems to have really inflated a lot. Oh, yeah. That's so much. That is so much. What about you, Austin? Yeah.
00:04:36
Speaker
So my three years at the troopers, I only paid, I think the most I ever paid was $3,200, which was 2016 to 2018. I got a couple of vet discounts as I kept going on the cut, but the vet discounts kind of offset the increasing costs. So it kind of stuck around that like low 3000s mark. And then I went and filled a hole at cadets in 2019 and I didn't pay a dime.
00:05:02
Speaker
which was pretty awesome. That is very cool. I was supposed to maybe, but we're not going to talk about that. It's okay. Well, I mean. Too late now. A little bit too late. Too late now. I promise you I'm not the reason that that all went down the way that it did, but we have contributed. If you were the reason why, that's a whole other episode. I can't even put any words to that.
00:05:31
Speaker
Okay, Trish, what about you? Do you remember? Wow, okay.
00:05:36
Speaker
I like Ashley also to DCA and my tour fees were kind of a touchy subject right now because I was in the Bushwhackers first and that was pretty affordable for that time for mid 90s or whatever. But then after that, I was a Syracuse Brigadier during the time when the Syracuse Brigadier has had a ton of money. So it was incredibly low.
00:06:05
Speaker
We, that's a whole, I bet that's another episode. That's another episode about, you know, what, some of the stuff that went on up there. But I could say for personal experience, contrary to popular belief out there, let's squash the rumors right here, I was not paid to be a Syracuse Brigadier. That rumor was out there. They did make it very easy for, I will say this, they did make it very easy for people from out of town
00:06:35
Speaker
to deal with the commuting expenses and we'll leave it there. I was in the right place at the right time as when I stopped marching in 2005 and then they continued for another few years. I know it was more than what I paid but still not nearly what everybody else is paying either then or now.
00:07:03
Speaker
Before I aged out, I marched in a drum corps where it was $2,600. Now, I will tell you, 1996 is when it was $2,300. That's a lot of money.
Fundraising Strategies and Financial Assistance
00:07:17
Speaker
And then when I aged out, which was in 99, I only paid $150. And that's because my drum corps had, well, first of all, I'm upstate New York. My drum corps had its own bingo. Exactly.
00:07:32
Speaker
Yeah. All we had to do is just sell. We had a show, a home show, so we had to sell, oh gosh, what is it? Sponsors so they can buy ads. We sold ads. The more ads you sold, the more money you made.
00:07:48
Speaker
I just went ham on that because I didn't know these people. So I was just like, okay, how much can I actually do? And I find it, it's just amazing now because, well, Jeremy, this is where you have this information. What are the ranges at which performers are paying this year or now?
00:08:09
Speaker
So right now i'm taking a look at it breaking it down and generally speaking world class tends to be in its own category open class is a little bit less than as you keep going down a little bit less little bit less right now this season for twenty twenty four the average for world class was five thousand four hundred and twenty two dollars yeah.
00:08:26
Speaker
which is just absolutely insane. I mean, looking through these, there are two cores this season that are less than $5,000. We've got Genesis and the Blue Devils are the only cores that are less than $5,000 for the season. And we're actually got Boston Pete's 6,000 this year. Blue Stars and Blue Coats are just 50 and a couple hundred dollars behind that 6,000. We're
00:08:49
Speaker
Next season, we're easily going to be 6,000, maybe 7,000 if things keep trending the way they've been. Oof. I feel like this has become such a, I mean, it's not only, it's not the, I'm trying to find a good way to put this without having someone come for me, but like, this is becoming the rich kid sport.
00:09:12
Speaker
I mean, there's no other way of really looking at that. There's a lot of promising performers that could march, but will probably can't because of this. And on the backside of this too, and I would love for any one of you to play devil's advocate with me while we're talking tonight, but there are some resources that are in that people can go to.
00:09:38
Speaker
I don't know if I have the same ones that you all have or if you've heard of anything like this too, but Trish and I just spoke with Tom. And you want to tell us a little bit more about that, Trish? Yeah. So Tom Maiello, a lot of people may know him. He's a former director of the Raiders and cadets too, a bunch of different other things that he's done in the activity. He and another friend of ours, Eric Seibach, have set up something called the 1934 Foundation.
00:10:07
Speaker
Which the nineteen thirty four foundation as they get more into it and you know more evolved will actually serve as their goal is to serve as a legacy to course we're no longer with us and we leave it there and.
00:10:27
Speaker
What they want to jump it off with is scholarships to people. They're all cadets alum. In 1934, if you haven't picked up on the reference there, it's the first year of the cadets. It started with the idea of now all of these cadet kids are going to be displaced this summer.
00:10:48
Speaker
Let's help them move on and find new homes. And you can listen to the episode Nicole and I did. It's going to be awesome. But he talked a lot about how they've gotten people who are just willing to give them money now, donations, alums, other people, philanthropic people who just want to help kids out.
00:11:14
Speaker
help kids in the activity toms also the director is on the board of directors of dream performing arts which my independent winter guard and the winter guard is under that umbrella and.
00:11:26
Speaker
You know, the disease done great things for my organization in its first two years. So their goal right now is to take some of that money that they've been, you know, that they've been offered these donations and give them to kids who need to find homes in drug court. So it's really, really, really great episode. I hope you listen to it.
00:11:46
Speaker
I know that the 1934 Foundation is in its infancy stage, so they won't be able to, they're not able to fund anybody this year, but hopefully next year they'll be able to do that. There's also, I don't know if any of you have heard about this, there's a foundation called Grace Note. I don't know if you've ever heard of that.
00:12:07
Speaker
But go ahead and look that up. They do. And Gracenote, I believe that this is a percussion thing. Isn't Gracenote a percussion term? Not necessarily. Yeah, it really works with any kind of like wind would fit to percussion. Any music instruments really would work on the backyard. So that literally was the first thing that I looked at first and was like, oh, okay, well, this is nice. And they go through a lot more in that
00:12:38
Speaker
in their rundown of how people are helped, how more performers are helped to get through their season with their tour dues. There is also our marching counts, which is an initiative for helping all of our black and brown kids get through the season, not just monetarily, but any other things that they may need that isn't readily available when you go to those high schools that are
00:13:02
Speaker
maybe in the middle of nowhere. So, making sure that, you know, those resources are, you know, there for them or either can be sent to them. Yeah. So, yeah. And I know that there's more and I'm hoping that there's still more because I'm pretty sure like where it's May 12. When are we thinking that like some move-ins are happening? Like I'm thinking end of this month, right? Next week.
00:13:29
Speaker
next week. Next week is starting up. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm thinking a lot of these kids, like honestly, you are making your
Non-Fee Expenses and Budgeting
00:13:38
Speaker
list and you're like, okay, I got a pack for move ins. I got to make sure I have this. And it's like, Oh yeah. Cause like when you move in,
00:13:46
Speaker
correct me if i'm wrong you gotta have the rest of your dues ready i was just gonna ask that question i was just gonna say what do they do like what what i haven't been you know in the dc i. World in so long yeah young kids get not you know my experiment at least in my experience jeremy i'm sure you can probably touch on this too.
00:14:06
Speaker
But it's usually a case by case basis like I was I always had my I always made sure my dues were paid off. Before I moved in and I just I always made sure I was caught up. But I know it was case by case. If you kind of went in and you said hey XYZ is happening the money is coming at X time. I can have it paid by this date they'll be like okay. And then they'll and then they'll work with you in that regard but.
00:14:33
Speaker
Typically what they'll do is they'll expect you to have at least seventy five or eighty percent of it paid already and then we need the we need the rest of it or it there's some there's some weird ones that can happen but i mean
00:14:45
Speaker
So it all depends on the situation. It's totally case-based scenarios. I've seen a lot of it. I really think that in that, that's when I think that those discounts for marching, if you have a sibling that's going to be marching, that kind of thing, those discounts really come into play and are super helpful. So.
00:15:12
Speaker
Well, also talking about this too, like we also know that, you know, we're paying for dues. We get that. You're basically paying, you're not paying for food because, you know, you're being fed. But if you all can think of some other things that you would need money for while you're on tour. I mean, it's not like when I was marching, you know, you just needed like a couple of quarters so you could call your parents now and then on the pay phone. Yes, I am that old.
00:15:40
Speaker
Anyway, what are you whippersnappers paying for when you're on tour? I mean, fortunately, a lot of times food is like, I think when I was marching, there were maybe like three or four times where it'd be like, hey, we're doing a long trek down to Texas, you're gonna have to grab lunch while we're on the road and they'll drop us off at like a food stop or something. But generally speaking, food's pretty much entirely covered for unless you want to like grab something on a free day when you're like totally on your own after regionals or whatever.
00:16:07
Speaker
But the biggest expenses are just like laundromats. Oh, I got to pay two bucks for this laundromat to wash my clothes every few weeks. It's not terrible. Compared to the tuition and compared to the cost of traveling to camps and everything before that, on tour, it's a lot less than everything before that. Two bucks at a laundromat? What laundromats were they taking to YouTube, man? Holy cow. You're sharing your loads with someone. You know you are.
00:16:34
Speaker
I never did. I couldn't do it. I hated sorting the clothes. I couldn't do it. Did you fold your clothes? You just stuffed them back into your suitcase. I folded them most of the time. Roll them. Get that extra space in there. Exactly. You roll it. But in Allentown, I said forget this. I'm not doing this anymore. It's going in the bag. I got two weeks left. I'll figure this out when I get home. That last stretch of tour is just a different experience.
00:17:01
Speaker
This is when you can throw stuff away, too. You're just like, that stain's not coming out. I don't have wounds. Well, I think that's awesome. This is great to have this kind of dichotomy in the marching arts world, because we have people from the DCA now called all ages. And then we also have you all from DCI.
00:17:24
Speaker
So it's a good, I feel like we have a good flow of getting different perspectives in what's actually happening. Yeah. So let's see. I think we should just go straight to our in-between season edition of what are we doing?
Off-Season Activities and Preparation
00:17:42
Speaker
What are we doing? What are we doing?
00:17:53
Speaker
So I feel like these in between version of what are we doing is basically going to be geared towards all those people that are leaving for tour. Like, what are you doing? Like, how are we getting ready? You know, it can be anything actually in between seasons. Like, what are you doing? What are you doing? So who wants to go first? I think that we have Austin.
00:18:17
Speaker
In between season I've got like I kind of have two of them one for member one for staff The member one is what are we doing not spending time with our families? Oh, yes We need to like you're gonna be gone on the road for three months You need to spend time with your family. You're gonna you're gonna just I mean you're gonna be around your some of your best friends Like that's just that's just the case like oh Yes, spend time with your families your pets your friends from back home just
00:18:46
Speaker
make that quality time happen. That's my biggest thing for at least that's one thing that I made sure I tried to do as much as I could. When I was marching, just spending the spending that quality time with people. But I know a lot of us are like so caught up in trying to get those fees paid. And I totally understand that. But making that making that little time that little extra time here and there
00:19:08
Speaker
can mean all the difference and then and then when you get back to see your family at your home show or after finals or whatever it just makes it that much better just to kind of be like i just did all this and all that good stuff you know that's so wholesome i love it yeah i try you know i really try to be wholesome i do what about for staff are we going to go on wholesome now quite um what are we doing
00:19:39
Speaker
not relaxing in between WGI season and DCI season. Why are we not relaxing? I take the time. I'm like, I'm not doing much. Like you can call, like after WGI, my phone is off from everything, merging arts for like a week, at least, at least. And I'm just like, I don't want to talk. I don't want to talk about next season. I don't want to talk about fall season. I'll start booking flights to go wherever after May. Yeah, that's very good.
00:20:07
Speaker
Oh my gosh, how do you dumb? I'm jealous of you. I don't know how you do it. I can't do it. The self-disciplined just taking the time for myself and like it's super healthy. It's so good for you. It's like that's what all of us need to be more like.
00:20:22
Speaker
But I know that I need to be more sane I know that there's a lot of people though that they're chomping at the bit some of their seasons overlap Because they're chomping at the bit so much and it's just like if you were to take give yourself like a week Wouldn't it be the same? Would it be the same? I don't believe so Okay, I mean giving myself that giving myself that time is huge I mean i'm trying to get more gigs and more gigs and more gigs and i'm trying to push for that but um
00:20:52
Speaker
I'm so jealous of you. I can't totally shut it down. I can't. I'm so jealous. It's just one of those things where you just need that, you need that time. And I understand this is the only time of the year where my seasons don't overlap. I totally understand. It makes a hundred percent sense. Like between that, like after the GI before DCI, you have that month of just like, eh, we're not doing, we're not doing too much. Like I don't go to April camps. I don't do any of that. Like, nope.
00:21:17
Speaker
I'm good, but then I'll start. I'll start texting and calling and doing XYZ or whatever after May 1st. Alright.
00:21:27
Speaker
Right. That's good. Ashley, what are you doing? What are you doing? Well, I have one that's kind of like, well, yeah. I have one for members for fundraising for their dues. And this really happened. What are we doing selling our plasma to raise money for our dues?
00:21:53
Speaker
Oh, I can't believe that actually happened. This goes right into that whole thing of this is a lot of money and like, you know, kids are
00:22:08
Speaker
I don't even fundraising. I'm going to sell my plasma. Oh my gosh. Yes. A kid, a kid that went to our hospital, he was like the first one that went and did DCI and he's like going to school, like he, he's in college, all that stuff, working, like has, I don't know, three majors and
00:22:29
Speaker
Like he's like, yeah, I'll just, I'll just sell my plasma and raise the rest of the money. We're like, well, I need a jaw drop sound. I need a jaw drop sound because my door right now. How is that a thing?
00:22:45
Speaker
It's a thing. It's a thing. That's, that's, hmm. I don't think that was the only way that he raised his dues, but I think it was definitely a large portion to make it worth it. Oh no. I mean, I know people say do what you got to do, but I think that that may be a line. I don't know that that part's included. See, this is where we are, Nicole. This is why the work you're doing right now is so important because this is where we are right now.
00:23:16
Speaker
And this is, yeah, we need to do, we need more of those foundations. Jeremy, what are we doing?
00:23:24
Speaker
So this one's also gonna be for members, and I really hope I'm not the first person that you guys are hearing this from. But please, if you are marching this summer, start working out, start getting ready now. Yesterday, a week, like, your body is going to hate you if you don't get prepared. This is gonna be one of the most physically demanding things in your entire life. And even if you just start running a little bit, run a half a mile, just every once in a while, getting that endurance up, it's gonna do you so much help in the long run.
00:23:53
Speaker
I feel like those winner performers have a leg up on some of the other members because they've been performing and everything for what, the past six months. And pretty much in May, but still some people want to take some time off. That's great, but still work on your endurance. I'm not saying don't practice, but your endurance is going to be one of the bigger things, especially if you're what?
00:24:23
Speaker
an asthmatic person, like you're going to really work on that and things like that. So yes, I think that that is very, that's very important. We had the athletic fit guy from Forte Athletics, I think it was. He was on. So I think we're going to see a lot more out of him, you know, coming around these times.
00:24:44
Speaker
Yeah, it seems like I've seen a lot of different like Instagram posts or whatever. So many cores are preparing with him and I think marching health. They're doing so much work just to make sure these kids come out of the activity and their bodies still work. I mean, I'd be willing to bet that most of us, there's some part of our body that's been damaged by this activity that doesn't quite work all the way anymore. But anything we can do to protect these kids, so they come out and their whole life still had it and they can still do whatever they want.
00:25:11
Speaker
I wish I didn't know when it was going to rain before anything happens, but my knees will tell me. Oh, it's just so bad. Trish, do you have a, what are we doing? Yes. And you just touched on it and I get it. You have to do it. I know, especially if you're out on tour or whatever, but I was always miserable on these days. What are we doing learning dots in the rain?
00:25:37
Speaker
I get it. It's not that bad. I get it. I get it. It's me. It's a me problem. I get it. But I was always, you can ask anybody that ever marches with me, I was miserable on rainy days. And I saw pictures this weekend of people like learning dots in the rain. I'm like, oh, they must be. You got to go back. You got to go back and review. I feel like that stuff doesn't stick in the rain. Oh, I know. I mean, what does? Right.
00:26:04
Speaker
Well, I have to say for my what are we doing? I think it's a whole thing about preparedness and not just for the members, but for like, I have met a couple of people who specifically just are spectators and will go to different shows.
Excitement and Personal Achievements in Drum Corps
00:26:22
Speaker
So they are literally like,
00:26:25
Speaker
looking at their calendar and how the tour is going to see who they can see at certain points in time because every drum corps pretty much comes through Ohio. So everyone is trying to scammer to be like, okay, but this one's going to have this drum corps yet because even though there's a lot of shows that come through here, there are not the same drum corps that come through.
00:26:48
Speaker
So that's good because we get variety, but also like this is going to be a lot more different because it's not just the DCI drum cores, but it's the all ages. I have to remind myself to say all ages. I know. It's going to be the DC, the DC, sorry, all ages drum core that are coming through too. So what are we doing? Not getting our tickets early. Go get yourself a good seat. Okay.
00:27:18
Speaker
Yes. So we're going to go straight from that to another part of the show that I like the most called Gush and Go. Great job, everyone. Set your equipment down. Gush and Go. This is like, I call this Bragg. Braggadocious. We can be braggadocious right now. We can go the same route if you want. Austin, we'll start with you. Oh, goodness. I spent $800 on a flight to Hawaii in July.
00:27:47
Speaker
because I'm going to go teach a band camp out there. I'm so excited. Are we sure this is one of those April Fool's prank sort of things? No, it's very much May 12th, I promise. I am very excited. I'm so excited. Yeah.
00:28:13
Speaker
That's awesome. That's so cool. Yeah. So the drill writer for Horizon, he's like one of my mentors. He's kind of like my second dad. He's like one of my mentors. He's been, he was the director of the organization for a while. He writes for a school out there called Le La Hua High School. And they're actually neighbors to Mililani High School. Like they're, they're just, they're just up the road. So I'm actually going to go teach the Le La Hua Bandcamp out in the back, back in the July.
00:28:42
Speaker
I'll probably try to pop in and say hey to Mililani if they're doing rehearsals and stuff because I because the band director was like choreographer when I was a troopers in 2018 super super good people out there and I mean they're paying I mean They're paying for me to get out there. They're putting me up. Give me a car or give me a car I'm like, this is this is great. You don't even have to like you don't even have to pay me I'm just going out for I'm just going out for a week I'll get I'll share every bit of my knowledge and then some just to hang out and
00:29:09
Speaker
Anytime somebody talks about going to Hawaii to teach, which hasn't been that many times, but I'm just like, how are you doing that gig? That's what I want to know. I mean, all props to you because you're going to have the most fun. I know. You'll be able to go on the beach and just be like, I've had a long day. I know. I'm so excited. Ashley, what are you gushing and going about?
00:29:37
Speaker
Well, I think I'm going to gush and go on about it's like the middle of twirling season, like the height of everything. So I'm just excited to keep learning about judging and getting more experience from that. Yeah. It's judge-a-thon for me right now.
00:29:56
Speaker
I was in, well, Maryland the past two weekends. I'll be in New Jersey next weekend, Pennsylvania the weekend after that. I don't think I have anything in June. I'll be in Ohio in July. So, yeah. At least you get, well, exactly.
00:30:14
Speaker
But you make me tired, dude. Because you went for a winter guard season with a winter guard, too, right? Yeah. Yeah. Dude, that's a lot. That's a lot. But you come from a pageantry family. So everyone understands and knows.
00:30:30
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. And somehow my, well, we just found out my dad has to have a full knee replacement in like late June. We're all planning to go to, yeah, I know. It was coming at some point, but we're all planning to go to judge nationals in July, like the beginning of July. So I don't know how he's getting, I don't know how that's working yet. You guys were going to judge like as a family?
00:30:59
Speaker
Yeah, my me, my mom, and my dad. I love that. Oh, goodness. You guys should get t-shirts. I'm not kidding. I don't know. Everyone loves it because you can get one hotel room. We share one mileage.
00:31:21
Speaker
We like the package deal easier. Awesome. Jamie, what about you? What are you gushing and going about?
00:31:32
Speaker
So not quite as cool as our other guests here today, but I've successfully convinced the rest of my family, my brother, and my parents to make the trek down to India this summer. So we'll be there Thursday, Friday, Saturday, catching all age in the morning on Saturday. If you didn't hear that, go on to DCI and buy tickets for Saturday morning to go to the all-age show. It's going to be great. This will actually be the first time I see all age in person. I'm never able to get out to the East Coast, but it's so exciting. There's so many videos on YouTube.
00:32:00
Speaker
Feels like I'm brand new to the activity again, first time getting to catch Kora's lives. So excited. Alright, Trish, what are you gushing about?
00:32:09
Speaker
Well, I'm going to toss it back a little bit because believe it or not, here on the East Coast, the winter guard season actually just ended the first weekend of May. My high school team has been done for a few weeks, but people have heard me go on all winter about how was I going to take this independent group to Wildwood, which is
00:32:32
Speaker
For those of you who don't know, it's down the Jersey Shore, so the kids get to not only compete, but they get to go on the boardwalk and do all that kind of fun stuff, rides and all that. So once I got to Wildwood the first weekend of May, that Friday, and handed in the balance due, and all of a sudden, as soon as I handed that in, it got the hotel keys, I was like, okay, it happened, we didn't.
00:33:02
Speaker
We raised the money, I mean myself an applause. We raised the money, we did it, we got there. We had a really good experience.
00:33:14
Speaker
Again, my independent team is not as competitive as my high school team. They want to keep it low key. They want to keep it a rec guard type situation where it's defined as this often. My brother played high school basketball. He's in a rec league where a bunch of old guys get together on Saturday mornings and throw the ball around. It's like what envy is a little bit.
00:33:38
Speaker
We're going to start changing it over soon, but it's kind of how we started it out. I mean, we weren't terribly competitive, but the kids had two really amazing runs in prelims and finals. I mean, out of nowhere. Those of you who follow me on social know two weeks before I had to fill some holes. I had to do some stuff and whatever. One of my high school kids popped in.
00:34:02
Speaker
And all this kind of crazy stuff happened. But Friday night after the prelims run, we were all like, OK. So it is possible to do it the way we did it. I guess having a great run is success. I guess it doesn't matter what the place it was. It totally is. I guess just making it happen was enough. So I'm going to give myself another applause. Nice.
00:34:32
Speaker
All right. Well, that's amazing.
Community News and Updates
00:34:34
Speaker
And I love hearing all these gushing goes. We're going to take a quick break and then we'll be right back. Hey, this is Christine Reem and Chris Green.
00:34:53
Speaker
Guard Closet was founded as a consignment business in 2000. Since then, it has grown to include Winter Guard, band, percussion, and other genres. We can help you with custom flag and costuming designs. Our consignment inventory has plenty of great looks for your color guard, drum line, and marching band. Pay it forward. When you purchase consignment, you help other programs. Last year, we sold over 400 sets of consignments and returned over $125,000 in payments to our consigners for their skills.
00:35:23
Speaker
Additionally, Guard Closet offers custom and pre-designed costumes, flags, floors, and formal wear, full or partial showwriting, educational programming, and other services. Max out your rehearsal time and set up a microsite for easy student ordering for shoes, gloves, and other equipment. The Guard Closet team is here to help you get everything you want and need for your season. Check us out at guardcloset.com and follow us on social media.
00:36:03
Speaker
All right, so there's more news happening in the activity and pretty much around the world. So we're going to start with Ashley. What's going on?
00:36:26
Speaker
Well, if you all have been following us for the past few months, you will know that we've kind of, this isn't the first time that this has happened. Another trailer, another band trailer was stolen from a high school. This time in Hawaii, Moanalua High School's marching band trailer was stolen over the holiday break
00:36:52
Speaker
I'm not sure which holiday break. It was recent. So I don't know what holidays they got in May. Maybe like Easter break. The police report was filed, but they have not had any luck finding it so far.
00:37:06
Speaker
But they have started a fundraiser to buy a box truck, which would be safer and more useful to transport everything instead of a trailer. Because I kind of wish we would just do that at our schools instead of having to find someone to carry the trailer or like drive the trailer all the time.
00:37:28
Speaker
I'm sorry, but these, I mean, cause for a very long time there, and I don't know, Jeremy, if you and Austin and Trish, if y'all remember this, but, uh, a little bit like months ago, literally I was doing the news and talking about a trailer being stolen like every other week, every other week. And then we just had a lull in it and I was like, Oh, okay, great. Maybe they're listening to the podcast and they're getting scared because we all know what they're doing.
00:37:55
Speaker
But no, in Hawaii, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, Austin. I have a side quest coming up in Hawaii. Oh, yeah. He's like, I'm the trailer vigilante. I will find it. It's on an island. How far can it go?
00:38:13
Speaker
Thank you. Thank you. But it just makes me, I'm like, okay, um, where are these being put? How many locks are being put? And I'm not trying to doubt anybody for getting, you know, for their trailer, but it's just like how that's a big thing. You know, it's such a, I mean, and it's not even that big. It's bigger than that. So what are they doing with it when they get it? Like do you open and you're like, wait, what did I just think? You know what? I wonder if their stuff was on there.
00:38:43
Speaker
What if there was stuff in there? Like, what are you? Oh, wait. Yeah, no, that's the thing. I just took marimbas and I just took like, what? Are they just hitting like random trailers or is it just like, oh, this is a band trailer. They've got a lot of instruments. That's a lot of money. We could do that. Or was it just a coincidence that it just so happens to be all these bands?
00:39:03
Speaker
I don't know. I genuinely think it's just like these some of these guys who are doing this are kind of playing like storage wars where you're like Oh, you got to go find the store, you know the storage locker and then you gotta like open it up. All right, what's in here? We just pay $5,000 for this locker. I have no idea what's in it. Let's see what happens That's probably what's going on. Honestly, like paradigm percussion at least in the past five years It sucks. They had they had not one but two trailers stolen and
00:39:29
Speaker
Oh no. No, no, no. Same group. Yeah. It was, it was within like three years of each other. I said, how does this even happen? They're fantastic. And they got it figured out twice. And they still go make open class finals to this day. Right. Well, they need another place to park their trailer. I think they haven't figured out now. It hadn't happened in a couple of years. I need a security guard. Yeah. Honestly. I need to hire a security guard for their trailer. Honestly, yeah.
00:39:56
Speaker
Okay, Austin, I feel like you've got some, um, some, uh, some news for us. I do. So WG icon has their keynote or has finally announced their keynote speaker. This one kind of hits a little bit close to home for me. It kind of hits both of my worlds at one time. Cause I am a cast member at Disney. Yes. And Deanna Marsigliis is going to be doing a keynote presentation on the art of exploration.
00:40:23
Speaker
WGI con in San Francisco on let's see. What are the dates? September 6th through the 8th. Yeah helps that she's a San Francisco local But she is an animator at Pixar or hat or was or she worked on some things Yeah worked on a lot of things. I'm like kind of read their bio She worked on probably one of my favorite Pixar movies soul. Oh, she worked on onward Toy Story 4 Incredibles 2 short the bow short
00:40:54
Speaker
Yeah. And she's also done inside out and the good dinosaur has she's dead. Oh, sketch artists lead for Luca to and and she's done some stuff for inside out, which is coming out this year. But she's going to be doing a keynote on the art of exploration and like what we can do to like be more creative in our shows and try to kind of push. How can we push the boundaries a little bit more? And I kind of want to go to W. J. Connell, even though it's like
00:41:22
Speaker
the mix even though it's like in the middle of fall season do I think it's I feel like this is for WGI-Con I feel like this is a great way to bring a different perspective and to look at things you know because even though like a lot of we as in you know people in the field of teaching Winter Guard wins everyone
00:41:46
Speaker
are trying to create the next big thing or be innovative on the next big thing. It's kind of hard to find out where to get that from instead of looking at someone else's creativity and then building upon that. Does that make sense? It's like you're not having your own thing. But I think it's great that they're bringing in someone who is not of the activity. Right. Super awesome. I'm looking at all the other keynote speakers.
00:42:15
Speaker
And it's just a, and it's a lot of like kind of our own, like, I know the Harlow's are doing something about doing a quality of life. Um, I think Joey Montez is doing something. One of our, one of ours, um, Joey's going to be doing something there too. I think it's, I think it's called as takes a village.
00:42:32
Speaker
But I've kind of seen the promotional material and it all looks, I mean, it's, it looks like a really, really good place for a lot of those younger budding, budding designers like myself, who can go and learn a lot in a very short amount of time and potentially not make as many mistakes as those who have come before them. What's the date of WGI Con again? Um, September 6th through the 8th, it is in San Francisco. I don't know exactly where it is in San Francisco, but it's, uh, says it says it's at the San Francisco marquee hotel is where they're
00:43:01
Speaker
Let's see, yeah, San Francisco Marquee Hotel is where they're doing a block room for it, but I don't know if it's actually in that hotel. Okay, if you go to WGI.org, it is on there and you can get tickets to go, okay? Trish, what do you have for us? Okay, keep it at WGI. Anybody who is a director that has entered a group in a WGI event, you have definitely dealt with Vicky Dish.
00:43:28
Speaker
She will be leaving WGI. She put out a statement saying that she and her husband have to move closer to family that need them. So we totally support that. So next year when we submit our documents and get them returned that they're incorrect, they will be coming from Emma Boyce this year. So we thank Vicky for everything she's done for us as participants.
00:43:55
Speaker
and we wish her and her family well and welcome them a voice. Right. How long was Vicky with WGI? I don't know how many years, but she's been a while. Okay.
00:44:08
Speaker
Well, I mean, honestly, we wish her the best of luck and we are excited for Emma to be stepping in. So the news that I have is coming from, and I'm saying this because I want to make sure that I get enough practice in saying it, but it's from the all ages core.
00:44:30
Speaker
formerly known as DCA. And on the DCI page, they have a list of them. And honestly, this is probably not all of them, but I just wanted to run down some of them because we're going to have a good amount of all-age cores to look at, to watch, to fangirl guy, whatever, over.
00:44:50
Speaker
It's going to be great. I have some information about some spots that are still open too. With Bushwhackers, they just did their last round of guard auditions this past weekend, Cincinnati tradition. I'm a Bushguard alum. That's why I had to give it an applause.
00:45:09
Speaker
Cincinnati traditions in my backyard, Columbus Saints is not actually in my backyard, but up the street a little bit. Fusion Corps, they still have guard spots open, and they do have an immediate opening for trumpet and cymbals. The governors, I don't know if any of you have ever heard of them,
00:45:31
Speaker
but they have a parade core and they also have a concert core. That's interesting. Yeah, there's two different ways to be involved in there. Hawthorne Caballeros, hurricanes, skyliners, sun risers. They have spots open for bass drum, trumpet, vibraphone, and timpani.
00:45:53
Speaker
and then we have the white sabers from upstate New York. I know that I'm missing some, but I mean, that alone, just go ahead, Jeremy, I see. I'm actually gonna hop in real quick. Atlanta CV from Atlanta, Georgia, as well as reading Buccaneers out east. There's so many open spots for all age, and honestly, if my body agreed with it, I would have signed up as soon as they announced it, but I don't think that's gonna be happening.
00:46:19
Speaker
I'll watch them, you know, and I can't. I'll support them from the stands. I won't be able to limp on the field.
00:46:26
Speaker
But what a great opportunity though. But what a great opportunity for somebody who kind of missed the DCI, world or open, both, you know, just wants to, before, you know, not only have a great experience, but perform at Indie. I mean, you know, think that's a game changer this year. So, I mean, what a great opportunity. You know, hop in there if you can.
00:46:52
Speaker
I know that when after I aged out, it was great to be one in upstate New York because I had three different guards I could choose from or cores I could choose from. And yeah, I got all I got that bug out. My body can't do it. So we're really good.
Drum Corps Traditions and Performance Highlights
00:47:08
Speaker
Does anyone have a drum core that they are like, super hyped to see the summer? Absolutely. I do. I I'm, I'm a troopers alumni.
00:47:18
Speaker
I, I, I love my, I love my troopers. You know what? I'm a fangirl over that slow walk that the drum major does. And I'm just like, I will, I want to watch you walk to the, to the truck like that. And I want to speak and I'm really excited to see what Chris McCarthy and the new guard staff are going to do here. I'm really excited. Yeah. Super excited.
00:47:42
Speaker
I love those Origins guys, and they're fantastic, and I really hope they- That's the one- I mean, honestly, I'm gonna say this isn't a love. That's been the revolving door at the Troopers as long as I've been around as a member. Yeah, there's- I don't think there's been a Color Guard staff that stayed through you. I don't think there's been a Color Guard staff that stayed-
00:47:59
Speaker
More than two years. It's I know those guys at origins because I helped start origins. So yeah, I think they're gonna do a great job Yeah, that's so cool. I I've heard nothing but great things I was such a fan girl over their show for at WGI this year and I was like, oh my god This is a visual masterpiece absolute masterpiece from staging. I was like, this is gorgeous um, so I'm hoping that they I'm hoping that they get to stick around for forever and ever because I
00:48:26
Speaker
Yes, because that's kind of been that revolving door troopers and the troopers have a history of a really really good guard back in the 70s back in the 60s and 70s, of course, but That's what they were known for that in circles and the color guard was always It but the slow walk thing. Yes the Sunburst that's yes But the slow walk thing there's history behind that everyone used to do it. Oh
00:48:52
Speaker
I see, anytime I see it, I'm like, I'm gonna watch you go to the truck. You're going to do that to the truck. Way back in the VFW days. Uh-huh. That was the thing. It was always kind of like a competition. Who could walk the slowest to retreat?
00:49:07
Speaker
that was always a thing and then everyone kind of got away from it except for the troopers we said we're keeping we are keeping this tradition it is happening he they only really i mean it only happens at like regionals now because that's the only time a drum major retreat happens which kind of sucks anybody else really excited to see another core this summer
00:49:25
Speaker
You know, Austin Stolman, I'm such a big Troopers fan every year. They always do a Wild West show, but every year it's still different. Every year they come up with something unique and it blows my mind every year. But I'm going to have to go with Santa Clara. Yes, Santa Clara Vanguard. They were off for a year. What are they going to do this year? They teased on April 1st, like, hey, it's 2024. Is it a Scheherazade Part 3? I know they were teasing it. Obviously, it's probably not going to happen.
00:49:51
Speaker
But like, who knows? Yeah, both of them. They were so good. Yeah, exactly. We can see them like pop out and just like sit in like comfortable sixth place or like they could pop out and just metal and blow everyone away. I'm just so excited. I have no idea with like what they've been working on, what their shows, anything about that. I'm so excited to see what they announce.
00:50:16
Speaker
Oh, wow. Okay. Ashley, do you have one? I don't think I have any one in particular. I just love seeing all the different shows because I'm going to be honest because my summer is pretty crazy busy. I don't actually keep up with it and look at the shows until the last couple of weeks until Allentown and Indie. Oh, yeah. I'm like, wow, this is really cool. I never see the beginning product.
00:50:45
Speaker
which I really should. But yeah, I just love seeing the end product and seeing everything all at once come together.
00:50:55
Speaker
I do. I mean, honestly, I would like to see at the very beginning and then nothing. And then at the end, because like, you know, that show has changed in every two days. Trish, who are you looking forward to seeing? I am a huge Carolina Crown fan, year in, year out. And I can't wait to see them. Oh. Oh, you said so many good ones. I know. Oh, that's right. Because you're from North Carolina, right? Oh. Oh, yeah. That's amazing.
00:51:26
Speaker
I, I mean, I, I really have just a soft spot in my heart for like a lot of different cores, but there is something about Phantom's horn line in the last two years. And I know I'm a color guard person, but they just sound great. They do sound great. And I know that there was a little thing going on. Like it's not a train. It's the horn line.
00:51:54
Speaker
Yeah, but they've sounded great. I knew last year, I really, I really liked the way they sound. I love a good like rising up from what you're doing, you know, getting better over your type deal. And I feel like that's what Phantom's doing. Yeah, they're finally getting better at that whole
00:52:12
Speaker
maintaining our identity while doing the new fresh thing. That's what a lot of drum corps have kind of struggled with after 2016. A lot of those corps have a lot of history, like Phantom, Scouts have struggled with it too. They're kind of finding their way. Cavaliers have even struggled. Troopers struggled with it. And a lot of those drum corps are starting to figure it out. Maintaining their character and everything that they do.
00:52:38
Speaker
in their traditions, identity, that's the word I was looking for, while pushing the envelope into something new and modern.
00:52:46
Speaker
I think, and honestly too, I have to say this, and I'm not saying I have to say this because I'm obligated, but I'm actually really excited because I'm on tour with Academy this summer. So I am super happy and excited to have everyone see what's coming out of that. I will tell you this, that the guard staff is brand new to that organization and there's a couple of more
00:53:10
Speaker
a couple more staff members in sections that are brand new to the organization. So it's been a really, really good melding of the minds right now.
00:53:21
Speaker
We're really happy to see it. And I'm going to be happy to see it. Yes. So yay. Well, that was great for y'all and for me and for all of our listeners. I just want to thank everyone for a great rehearsal this week. Thanks to our hosts, Austin, Ashley, Trish, and Jeremy. One more thing, please don't forget, we have our YouTube channel now that has so many of our interviews that are coming out in the full edition. So go and subscribe so you don't miss out on those.
00:53:50
Speaker
So before you close out of your podcast listening app, one, go subscribe. Two, write us a review. Who's your favorite host? Who's your favorite person that's on here? Let us know and let us know why. Share this with a friend. Follow us on social media at On A Water Break and we'll see you at the next rehearsal on a water break.
00:54:15
Speaker
The On A Water Break podcast was produced by Jeremy Williams and Christine Ream. The intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit lidamusic.com. And until next time, thanks for tuning in.