This video was so well put together. I LOVE the use of the 2017 closer to showcase our rise to the top, from barely being out of finals in 2016. Everything that was stated was correct. We picked a harder version at spring training when they sat the corps down. The vote was almost unanimous in the room and the energy we all had when we looked at each other knowing this show would be discussed and spread like wildfire in the community was unforgettable. I laughed so hard so many times throughout this video like when you said the show was hard because I was a rookie mellophone on the ends of all the forms, (The Two Triangle rotations that we the members aptly named The Gauntlet) had to be adjusted for me and the other points because I couldn’t achieve a 3 to 5 backwards during 4 count phrases so we changed them to five and added more stabs. I marched Boston Crusaders BAC Mellophone my rookie year in 2014 with Birdlad. I aged out with the Boston Crusaders in 2017.
honestly so glad that i have an alumni of this show confirming things. There’s been a few comments that worried me thinking i might’ve gotten things wrong. THANK YOU for confirming this stuff.
@@CJsMusicTrumpetNo problem man! we know how this community is in terms of information, so there will no doubt be a lot of people putting in their own two cents. but the only way to get this information aside from all the extensive research you do on your videos, is definitely going to be first-hand experience from people and MEMBERS who were there. From someone who is still very in touch with the activity 9 years after my rookie year, you’re doing an incredible job on these videos. Keep it up. You have my sub!
OH in 2017 when the drum and brass staff from the cadets for the past 10 years was hired by boston. what a coincidence that that was the year. they clearly didn't just through money at the problem and it worked.... interesting.
Subbed. Solid recap of the history. That baby powder penalty was annoying af. I firmly believe we would’ve gotten 7th that year if we didn’t get docked at prelims and made to perform before Madison at Semis. The smoke effect was so cool, the show just wasn’t the same without it.
I marched that year too, and I actually ended up getting cancer from being right next to the baby powder and inhaling it. This video is a huge coincidence because just today, as we speak, I have finally been awarded damages in the suit I brought against the corps for subjecting me to johnson's cancerous baby powder into my lungs and being exposed to it so many times. The downside is that I'm going to die soon but the upside is that I probably wouldn't have won the suit if I wasn't dying, so at least my family gets to use these funds to secure their future.
I'm loving this channel so much. I think it's incredibly important to have videos like this to preserve the lore and stories of drum corps. Sure, it's all out there, but largely in the form of forum posts and hearsay from people who may or may not remember the full story. Well-researched and well-spoken content detailing the history of the activity is unbelievably important, and high-quality content is important as well. You're doing good work, your last two videos have been phenomenal, I do genuinely hope you keep it up. These are EXACTLY the types of videos I like. If you make a Patreon, I'll be your first supporter if you keep these videos up
It's one of the hardest shows in DCI history. Not only did they have an extremely challenging drill, but they did it while playing. There is a drill move in which 3 spokes rotate and morph around each other in the show that still amazes me, but they never managed to get it clean. Corps today play it too safe. The top corps attract the most talented performers, but they don't really challenge them. Boston 2014 is up there with Crown 2012 when it comes to the most challenging shows ever attempted. Some people didn't like the fact that Boston was making a statement with this show, but it needed to be said.
I marched this show. I so appreciate the look back at it and I love that people are still talking about it almost ten years later! It was my rook-out, so I kinda didn't know what I didn't know in many ways. I don't remember the staff asking us if we wanted a hard show or an easy show, but I also had to skip one camp for a school commitment so maybe it happened then. I didn't know at the time this was a hard show - I just figured drum corps was hard. I remember repping The Gauntlet what felt like millions of times. Our visual staff was on edge, like, all summer, and now as a more self-aware adult, I get why. That shit was insane to try to get kids to do. I got lucky though - I had an easy dot in the center of the triangles. Not neatly as hard as others had it. I also don't think I had the best grasp on what the show was actually about, especially early on. I remember DCP blowing up after the premiere in Akron about the G7 set. The voiceover is one of the tuba players that year, recorded sometime before finals week although I don't remember where or exactly when. It wasn't in the show until late season. The communist/DCI flags were only in for the Finals night. In hindsight, after I've taught band and drum corps for most of the time since 2014, I think the design staff made some poor choices. The show was hard, but like, unnecessarily hard. Almost nothing was gridded, so we spent time cleaning stuff that should have just been easy intervals. I can't tell you how much time we spent "building the windmill" in the ballad, which from box height was barely noticeable. Would have fit in much better at a WGI show than Lucas Oil. Staging and listening responsibilities were not easy for many portions of the show. I can't help but wonder if the *effect* could have been achieved while making the show more achievable. I consider my time at BAC to be a defining experience in my life. Wish I had been able to march many more years. A former student of mine marched White Whale this year, and it just felt like it all came full circle. So cool to see them have much competitive success.
I was rewatching my 2014 Blu Ray (miss those… Flo Marching streams are garbo) and LOVED this show. I had no idea of the controversy that it was covering. I love it even more now. Thanks for delivering such thoughtful and much needed DCI content!
Imagine being an Italian guy on his first ever experience in the US marching with Boston in 2014… I’ve never really understood all the story of this show that I marched, thanks for this video! I enjoyed every moment I spent in in America! Thanks BAC!❤ Proud of being the first (and unfortunately the only) Italian guy marching with you ❤
Bravo! I love seeing the history that doesn't fit the public DCI narrative and I really hope you keep releasing this style of content. I marched Magic of Orlando in 04 and we were the reason that residual residue was added to the rule books in 05 because we used baby powder on the concert basses during our show's fight scene. Wouldn't you figure, GH was the driving force in this ban even though it arguably had such an insignificant effect to the marching surface.
Dude, seriously awesome job with this content! So much of drum corps history and history in the marching activity as a whole, has never really been preserved to be retold like this. So many stories behind past seasons have been lost to time or only been told by word of mouth. I love this! There’s so much to cover! I know there’s a lot of ground to cover with just drum corps alone, but WGI history videos like this would be just as great. Just to keep a pin in it for now 😉 keep up the great work!
My dad was actually the drill writer for this show. I still use the kind of making a group more equal than others when he writes a drill and I have what I think is a good idea lol
This show was honestly a pain to research for. Most of the articles pertaining to the G7 were wiped from the internet, as for the events of the season talked to a boston alum. Obviously I won't do things perfectly as I wasn't there but I do the best I can. Thanks for the comment!
@@CJsMusicTrumpet it’s all good. I thought the video was well done and was entertaining. I know members tend to put their own theories on stuff. I know we used to do it when I was in high school marching band. But it is still an interesting narrative all the same.
Chris, my first stop at your videos. I am old drum corps (76-84) and I have not seen a show since the finals in 1985. I watched some of the 2023 finals and I feel like...well, it's not my day in the sun. I was from the east coast back then and remember the Muchachos' issue in 1975 and the Bridgemen a few years later. I marched DCI level with North Star and 27th Lancers. DCI was always playing games (we thought) and there were several tells even back then. I won't put them here but I physically saw 3 of them documented days before the prelims in Canada, Miami and Georgia. It was great when Garfield broke out in 1983 and continued for a 3-peat. They were held together with duct tape and bailing wire as were all of us from the east. I loved my time and would never trade anything from then to have what is there now. I am glad Boston is doing well as I had friends there in my day. Keep it up. I miss the power of G-Bugles and as a contrabass player I really miss the sound of what 6 or 8 could do compared to the 10-16 I see out there today. But I am old now.....Thanks for the forum.
I did open class drum corps. My bf was only ever with crown. He actively supports ending all corps but the top 10-ish. It’s kinda sad how much those guys don’t even think about the lower lever corps
awesome overview! I remember following the G7 stuff after working w/The Cadets in 2010 and was grinning ear-to-ear every time I got a chance to see Boston's show that year ... what a bold move on their part and it's def worked for them going forward! Also, if I remember correctly a HUGE portion of The Cadets staff, Gino in particular, actually moved to BAC after 2014's season (or maybe later, can't really remember)
Let's also not skip over the irony of GH's legal issues and the subsequent collection of high level staff going from Cadets to BAC once GH was ousted. That's a huge epilogue to this tale. It's also worth noting that GH's rule changes for 30 years got us to the instrumentation changes that now in the 10s and 20s seem normal, but are so jarring to this day for many. Also, one other wild note. If I recall my history right, it was Boston that used the first synth in 1985. ruclips.net/video/pHc7IdXUGP8/видео.html
I agree with most of what you said, especially the GH part, except the instrument changes was inevitable and pushed by many up and down the ranks. If it's jarring it's because you've put your fingers in your ears for decades.
@@Surelockohms I think you'll find that there is a subset of fans that believe that drum corps as an art should be limited to the sounds that are created on the day. Acoustic sound and reinforcing that acoustic sound as necessary -- not adding effects and allowing generated sounds or pre-recorded things. Foley was part of the art, and I'm not opposed to amplification. I just think it should be the kids making the music.
@@drumcatnau the kids are making the music, just better more modern music than ever. Just because they use mics and effects doesn't make it worse, it actually makes it MORE difficult on timing, set up, and planning. Unless I missed something kids still have to play each note...
@@Surelockohms It's not the mics. Like I said, the kids should CREATE the sound. Playing a synthesiser is not unmusical. Drum corps is based on its instrumentation, and that it had always been sounds created by kids. It's not the same when you have a mic'd echo signal effect, or a pre-recorded speech. I'm not bothered by a mic amplifying an instrument, like a keyboard or a harmonica. That's still a kid playing a real analog instrument. That's drum corps to me; musicianship by the participants in a direct performance.
While I'd be ok with a sampled piano as an exception (logistics), that should be about it. No generated sine waves. No bitcrushing. No DSPs. No recording studio sessions. If the kid didn't do it on the spot, it doesn't belong on the field, IMO. Kids are far too talented to be triggering synthetic sounds.
This was a really amazing story. I had no idea. I have to say, as I listened to the video I started out on the side of the G7 because . . . I go to the local DCI show to see the big corps. The minor corps are . . . warm-up acts. At the same time, I wouldn't pay $60+ for a ticket to see 2 corps. I happily pay it to see all the warm-up acts, THEN the major corps. So the video pulled me to the side of the smaller corps. They are a significant part of my enjoyment in the audience. While that enjoyment may not be equal in magnitude, it is a necessary ingredient. Would you eat a cinnamon roll without cinnamon? One wonders if SCV would have marched 2023 if the G7 had their way.
Also, I have a video idea that's perfect for this series. It's one that I was making myself but lost motivation due to life circumstances and never finished. It's about the 1984 Whitewater Wipeout. The Cadets had an infamous pileup at the end of their 1984 performance in Whitewater Wisconsin. It's a deep story, and a case of DCI lost media. As there's only 3 photos of the pileup, but no video has ever been found. There's also a judges tape who was on the field when it happend. I have those photos and that tape as well as an interview with a man who was there that night. That man is also very active on dci youtube videos. And he's very friendly and loved talking with me about the event. I can provide you with his contact information and all of that stuff and we can talk further if you're interested. If so, I'd love to talk to you about the tone and direction I wanted to go with my video, and see what you think about it. Anyways, I hope this finds you well!
@@theunknowndrummer1209 it's a surprising story all around. I loved learning about it myself. I think if presented in the right way, it would make for a great video.
I was there marching with 27th. We heard the crowd but we were outside. I had some friends from North Star days marching Garfield that year but there was not much talk except that it happened. Schedules and bus loading, changing and such and you just never take much time.
I was a lead sop in Garfield (The Cadets, for you kiddies) during the pileup in 84. Whatever you hear from someone who was not on the field that night is hearsay, speculative, and/or opinion - basically useless.
yep. They are another one that has flourished while some of the traditional "big boys" (Phantom, Madison, Cavies to a lesser degree) have seen placement drops. Even Cadets were in 8th for a time this season....
and in the end wasn’t that the point? they KNEW that if they were to secure easy and consistent funding that there would be no issue continuing to place high. An effort to make an competitive less competitive.
The irony of BAC doing animal farm in 2014 as a “fuck you” to GH and the G7, just for the brass caption head of GH corps to end up at BAC in 2017 (due to GH being a pos) and bringing BAC from 12th to 6th in just ONE season, continuing to rank higher each year after, and essentially becoming a G7 corps that GH didn’t consider them as….. insane!
I was only vaguely familiarized with this show, as I've only started following drum corps for a few years and (ironically) mostly watched the top corps. That being said, now that I know the design and history of the show, I fucking love it. The fact that the show is about a somewhat controversial story about soviet corruption, and using that to as groundwork to compare it to how power hungry some people on the board can be is outright genius. The way they hid so many references and jabs at authority is so hilariously smug. Not to mention their utilization of Shostakovich no. 11 goes perfectly, since Shostakovich is known for his sarcastic hidden messages criticizing authority, and his 11th symphony is still related to animal farm for being about bloody Sunday and USSR's rise in authoritarianism. Controversial shows are my favorite shows, because I believe drum corps is an art form, and as an art form is able to convey ideas.
I remember in 2012 that it was a big deal Boston beat Cavaliers, especially after the Cavies had dominated for a decade. I think that was another small piece of this puzzle as Boston probably felt like “Okay well now we’re in the G7 too, right?” Only for Boston to place 8th and Cavies in 7th during the 2013 season. I like to think this added fuel to the 2014 design fire. Interesting to see the early 2010’s era I grew up with as historical. I was just a band nerd eating it all up 😂
just found this channel a day or two ago, but I absolutely love the content you've been putting out! This is EXACTLY the kind of stuff I was looking for when I was first getting into the activity through youtube during/post pandemic... I'm so happy that you're providing this now for an entire new wave of marchers. Please keep up content like this, I am very excited and eager to watch your next video when it comes out!! :)
@@EuphoniumPlayer97 If you check the "about" section of my channel you can see my email. It might take me a couple days to respond but I'll for sure send you that multicam when I get the chance.
I have no clue where in the architecture you've come from, but I've been waiting a long time for something like this. I know this channel is seriously going to blow up. Wishing only the best for you man, keep putting out excellent content like this :)
i already loved this show and boston but this made me love them 10x more. i had no idea that this was the true theme of the show but it enhances it so much. so proud of them for their success this past decade!
As a person hoping to march in the coming years, I really enjoy seeing this kind of content and learning this history of this activity. Thank you for putting this stuff out there ❤
It would be great if you could dig into why DCI and the rules have changed so much! Dig into why electronics were added, trombones, et al. And why shows now have to have so many props. This Boston show had no props and was just marching and it was AWESOME!
Leaving out George Hopkins name seems like a great way to gatekeep knowledge about the history of DCI. I would have said something to the extent of "he was a mostly beloved figure at the time, but due to numerous allegations of wrongdoing is no longer seen favorably in the DCI community." That way, YT censors don't get on your case for talking about non-advertiser-friendly stuff, and you get the point across to the viewer of "GH's" significant power at the time in the DCI world. However, I enjoyed your coverage of this topic! I remember it being a large discussion point with my friends who were into drum corps at the time. I wonder if you could or have reached out to any staff members from that year to discuss anything additional that they did in the show as "easter eggs" as you described them. Hope to see more quality videos when you have the time to post them!
Well what really pissed off BAC was that GH excluded BAC from the G7 because they hadnt placed in the top 7 consistantly before this. From what I heard
My understanding of the G7 was that it was completely financially motivated. Each show on tour is "hosted" by a certain corps and it is the host corps financial and logistical responsibility to find/fund housing sites for every corps performing at that show. So there was this divide between corps who had a good financial situation who were always hosting the less well off corps. This was draining the top corps pockets so they decided to make the Tour Of Champions where the housing was equally distributed between all the G7 corps.
Dude this is fantastic. This is the type of thing RUclips needed! Not to mention your writings incredible. I was there for semi finals that year and I just said, "I liked the show, it was dark." now an entire 9 years later, still gives me chills to this day. Great job on the vid man!
very well made video, would love to see more content and history trivia like this. or just any drum corps content, lol. totally agree with you on the lack of quality of drum corps content on youtube as of now. you're helping change that, keep it up man
I just came across your video, this is an education for many Drum Corp fans, myself included. A huge THANK YOU! wouldn't a great follow up program be "Where is he now?" GH saga
2024 - 2nd place! Thanks for making this. Super interesting. GH always seemed like a Wormtongue. I only spend a little time around him as a photographer at some DCI events, and I always had to get my degunk my spirit afterwards. I'd love to know how many of the last 20 years of shenanigans he pushed for. No G horns, trombones, lights, amplifiers, violins etc, no hats, dancing hornlines, 289382 people on the field, etc. Not that I hate all of them, but for a while every year there were some "big new allowances". They always felt GHy.
Well, the Cadets went bankrupt and the Cavaliers + SCV have taken a bit of a hit in standings, now Mandarins, Boston Crusaders, and Troopers are really rising while Blue Devils, Bloo, and Crown are kinda holding. That fact that plan didn't go through probably allowed for much more innovation in DCI.
Yo this is wild that one of the shows I watched, and the season that made me leave drum corps, is being shared with current drum corps fans. This season was an absolute rollercoaster to march. It felt very demoralizing during the season that the members had no control over our success, and instead were largely used as a political tool. We had absolutely brutal drill, incredibly demanding rehearsal days, and way too many injuries throughout that season. I can only hope that members nowadays are treated with more respect, since it was such a formative part of my life and I grew so much throughout the experience. B.A.C 13’, 14’
'GH' was basically a troll on RAMD back in the 90's, so he lost a lot of the good will I had built up for him at the time. I'm convinced that he was a positive influence back in the 80's, but that he (and his ego) got too big for his britches and most of the rules proposals he pushed later on just did not sit right with me. His ego and arrogance was the reason that I was shocked but not surprised by the legal issues that led to his exit. I was unaware of the politics behind the G7 scheme and the ToC shows (the concept of which did not sit well with me either) or of the subtext of this show. On the other hand, I remember the baby powder incident and agree with the penalty if it was in the rules. Otherwise, what stops someone from pulling out a can of spray paint and leaving a much more permanent 'residue'?. However, if it wasn't not in the rules or had not been enforced when it should have, then I see a problem with enforcing it there.
Thanks for sharing this. I appreciate the real history and information. Glad I found your video and have subscribed to your channel. Keep up the great work!
As a current crusader, I never got to learn the exact details of this show and this makes it so much more awesome!!! Thank you for sharing this! Great video!!
And now Boston and Coats are a top 7 corps and Cavies and Phantom fell far below that, (until recently with Phantom) not to mention Cadets disbanding. The problem with G7 is that no one is top 7 forever
This is the big reason I just stopped watching DCI. Boston Crusaders have been great for years, but there's just clearly been so much corruption it just wasn't even fun to watch after 2015.
I miss drum corps. Instead all I see summer marching bands. BACs past decade shows have definitely been more difficult and pleasing to watch compare the Blue Devils.
G7 should of done their own thing on the side while still being in DCI shows. Been their own 7 judged dif from the other corps, where also just about all rules/bets were off and they could put whatever pretentious over produced show they could afford to put on while the other corps went on to keep a semblance of what drum corps is. Instead, now we have every corps doing, dancing, playing like each other
Oooh, DCI lore! It WOULD be interesting to see videos talk about the past. Given how niche DCI is... it's hard to preserve stories like these. I'll definitely stick around for more!
We were judging a show at WGI about the evolution of the earth. They used baby powder during the “big Bang”. It was a cool and original effect, but the powder came straight at us downstairs judges. We were coughing and trying to do commentary at the same time. After that, WGI made a rule of no more powder. I never thought it would be a problem on the field until I watched a band use it as if a rocket was blasting off. It stained the field for the rest of the competition, got on people and ruined the effect other bands were trying to portray. Indoors, yeah I get it. It was pretty bad cause we were choking. Outdoors? I’m not seeing TOO much of a problem except for the example above. I’m just going to go with the flow.
Animal Farm literally took the balls to the wall. Bravo BAC for standing your ground and taking on the G7!!! Thank you for this video and hope to see many more like it. !! Go BAC !!!
I got the opportunity to march at Knights during that year, and the year after. I loved watching Boston’s show and respected the message, also being in a corps outside of the G7. Personally, I was really bothered that we placed ahead of Phantom at Prelims and Semis in 2014, only to place 8th behind them on Finals night….. really felt like that G7 thing was still present, but I guess they had a better finals night performance. It definitely felt great to break through that division and place 6th the next year though. It was the beginning of a new era, and even THAT has long passed by now. Thanks for sharing this important part of Drum Corps history!
this is awesome! would love to see a video on the history of individual impact in the activity like the people that the DCI caption awards were named after. like for instance, I had no idea that there was a WGI color guard show (I think it was performed by Fantasia) themed after George Zingali’s life. really cool show and really cool story.
BAC alum here, thank you for this video. I unfortunately only got to march in 15 and 16, but all of my friends who convinced me to audition marched this show and I loved it. We always took the idea of pushing the envelope even when it was just our own skill levels, though 16 is a bit of a different story. But I always appreciate some history!!
Where is Part 2 of this video, I want to know how this ended??? Did the G7 dissolve? Are the Boston Crusaders now part of the G7 and want the same? Was there some sort of compromise? I marched in the early 80’s and haven’t follow drum corps very closely since. I find these stories of what has happened since I left fascinating, thank you for putting them together. I have a box of old programs and memorabilia from the late 70’s and early 80’s if it would be any help in your future videos.
G7 Basically doesn’t exist or at least not like it did. Corps do work with and communicate with each other but at this point all corps are fighting for their own survival. As for Hopkins he’s been ousted for “allegedly”(don’t sue me) for doing some unsavory things to female members and has not been involved in the activity as anything other than a viewer.
I'm curious about the sources that you referenced in the creation of this - did you by chance compile them/interview people involved? I ask because, as someone who was pretty heavily in the scene at the time, a lot of this doesn't line up with what I remember happening. Specifically, I don't remember GH's presentation being "on behalf" of the G7 - I pretty vividly remember that presentation being something that he did on his own and presented solo at a DCI Board meeting in the offseason between 2013 and 2014 and trying to drum up support for. If I'm recalling right, the presentation contained a lot of Hopkins-isms beyond just the proposed restructure - including a mandate to legalize the usage of woodwinds in competitions (I remember this because this is something that I'm super for, and I remember thinking that part specifically was a good idea) - which actually alienated a lot of the directors on the board, though the directors of the G7 all agreed with GH's restructure proposal in general, which is what lead to the threatened MiM split and the ToC compromise. The other side of this that I question is the actual intentionality of Boston's show to be an affront to the ToC/G7 beyond just being cheeky about it. In my experience talking with people involved in this show (both as someone who marched with people who marched this show, and as someone who knew key staff members/caption heads pretty well), no one ever mentioned the G7 being the central point of the show. To my understanding, there was more anger about the penalty in 2013 and a perception of leniency towards the better scoring corps which underpinned the design of the whole show, and then the G7/ToC stuff ended up fitting in nicely with the theme they had already been designing for, so they added it in. I don't mean to blow your video up or anything - I think drum corps history is something that should absolutely be preserved and passed down, as there's some really neat things that have happened over the decades that just speak volumes to the community aspect of the activity and its value. I'm just left questioning my own memory of how this all went down as a part of this video, and I think it's worth trying to be as correct as we can in trying to memorialize this stuff. Also, it helps us all be better informed about the state of the activity as a whole consequently - for example, the way that GH describes open class corps is actually basically how they ended up being treated, even now. A lot of people don't realize this, but open class corps don't actually get paid to go to shows like world class corps do. DCI (the organization at large) basically treats open class groups as expendable/non-value-add talent, and gives them basically the ass end of the stick in every case, yet they try and talk open class up as a "growing grounds" for the next big world class corps. Knowing the history of that kind of stuff is invaluable in rallying against it and asking for systemic changes in the organization as a whole to make the activity a better, safer, and more inclusive place.
Yes a lot(most) of the info I researched for this video was based on a conversation with a BAC alum. Some of it is from the Drum Corps World Article(now deleted), as well as the leaked G7 Slideshow. I had to scroll through the pits of RAMD to find a lot of stuff that was basically unobtainable I would say. You are correct about the woodwinds portion, hop did mention it being something that was necessary eventually to secure a future in drum corps. The presentation itself was shown at a dci board meeting in 2010, the letter sent by GH came later in jan of 2013. I'm 90% on the dates as I did some extensive research on those even down to tracking down the original DCW article on the subject. As for the presentation on what I could find the G7 concept was something that was more or less agreed on by the other 6 members before the presentation was given, however not all of them were involved with the actual drafting of the presentation, it seems like it was solely written by hop, with the cavaliers corps director taking some strong oppositions to the slideshow itself. Hope this comment helps and thanks!
It's not clear how on board which corps were with the whole idea in general as well. I've heard (not confirmed) that BD ended up apologizing for the whole thing to BAC down the line(again not confirmed). It's possible that the corps were completely on board with the whole idea and let GH take the brunt of it. But it's equally possible that GH went to the top 7 and said "we deserve" more money and they said "yeah sure", and then he went on to write the whole 'G7 Report'. In reality things are alot more gray and there are some things that we will never know. Hopefully this can clear up alot of stuff you had questions about. Getting things right is important to me and I would never want to 'stir the pot' with wrong information. I spent about 4 days conducting research just to be as truthful as possible. I won't be perfect but my goal is to be as close as possible.
edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/08/12/drum.corps.trouble/index.html#fbid=6GOBkaEHiB7&wom=false This article for example predates your recollection of the G7 events happening between 13/14. Just so you can see some form of a reliable source and that I'm not just saying stuff just to say it.
web.archive.org/web/20100526154006/www.drumcorpsworld.com/articles.cfm?id=811 The original Drum Corps World Article on the Board of Directors meeting in 2010
@@CJsMusicTrumpet yes, this is all awesome! In thinking about it more, I remember the G7 presentation coming out right at the end of my time in high school, so that totally lines up better with 2010. I appreciate you sharing your sources too, this is great.
This is why I absolutely loved this show. I had read 'Animal Farm' the year before, and because of this, I was able completely understood the show on the first read. That was a first for me. However, once I got filled in by other nearby audience members of what was going on BTS in DCI, it became real clear that BAC was using this show to speak their minds about what was going on in the circuit at the time. It's in my personal top 5 shows for a reason.
"GH" was discussing changing DCI back in the '90s. I know, I was there.I marched a corps for 6 years and when we became a YEA corps, we saw a lot of "GH" and he was not quiet about his plans.
Dang. I marched Crossmen from ‘14-‘16 and I hated doing ToC shows. So much politics and score inflation (….for some…) at those. I didn’t understand at the time why they were a thing, but it makes more sense now.
I still have my ticket for the 2014 live airing semi-finals from a movie theater. I was a sophomore in HS and when I saw them, I absolutely fell in love with them specifically. At the time, I had no idea any of that had been going on. My love for them has never faded, even 10 years later.
This video was so well put together.
I LOVE the use of the 2017 closer to showcase our rise to the top, from barely being out of finals in 2016. Everything that was stated was correct. We picked a harder version at spring training when they sat the corps down. The vote was almost unanimous in the room and the energy we all had when we looked at each other knowing this show would be discussed and spread like wildfire in the community was unforgettable. I laughed so hard so many times throughout this video like when you said the show was hard because I was a rookie mellophone on the ends of all the forms, (The Two Triangle rotations that we the members aptly named The Gauntlet) had to be adjusted for me and the other points because I couldn’t achieve a 3 to 5 backwards during 4 count phrases so we changed them to five and added more stabs.
I marched Boston Crusaders
BAC Mellophone my rookie year in 2014 with Birdlad.
I aged out with the Boston Crusaders in 2017.
honestly so glad that i have an alumni of this show confirming things. There’s been a few comments that worried me thinking i might’ve gotten things wrong. THANK YOU for confirming this stuff.
My boi George
@@CJsMusicTrumpetNo problem man! we know how this community is in terms of information, so there will no doubt be a lot of people putting in their own two cents. but the only way to get this information aside from all the extensive research you do on your videos, is definitely going to be first-hand experience from people and MEMBERS who were there.
From someone who is still very in touch with the activity 9 years after my rookie year, you’re doing an incredible job on these videos.
Keep it up. You have my sub!
@@K0S0sKyle! hope you’re doing well brother! 🙏
OH in 2017 when the drum and brass staff from the cadets for the past 10 years was hired by boston. what a coincidence that that was the year. they clearly didn't just through money at the problem and it worked.... interesting.
Imagine they played a G7 chord in their closer
missed opportunity
missed opportunity
Referring to him as "G.H." is on brand for 2023 historians.
Does G H stand for “Getting handsy?”
gross@@jhilbertdrums
I don’t know what either one is
George Hopkins, former director of The Cadets. No?
@@OndrausCissellcorrect
Subbed. Solid recap of the history.
That baby powder penalty was annoying af. I firmly believe we would’ve gotten 7th that year if we didn’t get docked at prelims and made to perform before Madison at Semis. The smoke effect was so cool, the show just wasn’t the same without it.
I marched that year too, and I actually ended up getting cancer from being right next to the baby powder and inhaling it. This video is a huge coincidence because just today, as we speak, I have finally been awarded damages in the suit I brought against the corps for subjecting me to johnson's cancerous baby powder into my lungs and being exposed to it so many times. The downside is that I'm going to die soon but the upside is that I probably wouldn't have won the suit if I wasn't dying, so at least my family gets to use these funds to secure their future.
What is a baby powder penalty?
@@suzyinstitches273 5:16
#powdertothepeople
I'm loving this channel so much. I think it's incredibly important to have videos like this to preserve the lore and stories of drum corps. Sure, it's all out there, but largely in the form of forum posts and hearsay from people who may or may not remember the full story. Well-researched and well-spoken content detailing the history of the activity is unbelievably important, and high-quality content is important as well. You're doing good work, your last two videos have been phenomenal, I do genuinely hope you keep it up. These are EXACTLY the types of videos I like.
If you make a Patreon, I'll be your first supporter if you keep these videos up
Those 2014 BAC uniforms were beautiful. Modern but still paying tribute to their traditional style.
It's one of the hardest shows in DCI history. Not only did they have an extremely challenging drill, but they did it while playing. There is a drill move in which 3 spokes rotate and morph around each other in the show that still amazes me, but they never managed to get it clean. Corps today play it too safe. The top corps attract the most talented performers, but they don't really challenge them. Boston 2014 is up there with Crown 2012 when it comes to the most challenging shows ever attempted. Some people didn't like the fact that Boston was making a statement with this show, but it needed to be said.
Do you know where in the show it is? Like which movement?
And I loved every second of being in the color guard for this show 😌
I marched this show. I so appreciate the look back at it and I love that people are still talking about it almost ten years later!
It was my rook-out, so I kinda didn't know what I didn't know in many ways. I don't remember the staff asking us if we wanted a hard show or an easy show, but I also had to skip one camp for a school commitment so maybe it happened then.
I didn't know at the time this was a hard show - I just figured drum corps was hard. I remember repping The Gauntlet what felt like millions of times. Our visual staff was on edge, like, all summer, and now as a more self-aware adult, I get why. That shit was insane to try to get kids to do. I got lucky though - I had an easy dot in the center of the triangles. Not neatly as hard as others had it.
I also don't think I had the best grasp on what the show was actually about, especially early on. I remember DCP blowing up after the premiere in Akron about the G7 set. The voiceover is one of the tuba players that year, recorded sometime before finals week although I don't remember where or exactly when. It wasn't in the show until late season. The communist/DCI flags were only in for the Finals night.
In hindsight, after I've taught band and drum corps for most of the time since 2014, I think the design staff made some poor choices. The show was hard, but like, unnecessarily hard. Almost nothing was gridded, so we spent time cleaning stuff that should have just been easy intervals. I can't tell you how much time we spent "building the windmill" in the ballad, which from box height was barely noticeable. Would have fit in much better at a WGI show than Lucas Oil. Staging and listening responsibilities were not easy for many portions of the show. I can't help but wonder if the *effect* could have been achieved while making the show more achievable.
I consider my time at BAC to be a defining experience in my life. Wish I had been able to march many more years. A former student of mine marched White Whale this year, and it just felt like it all came full circle. So cool to see them have much competitive success.
We dont Gava
we need more informative dci videos like this!!!
More to come!
I was rewatching my 2014 Blu Ray (miss those… Flo Marching streams are garbo) and LOVED this show. I had no idea of the controversy that it was covering. I love it even more now. Thanks for delivering such thoughtful and much needed DCI content!
Imagine being an Italian guy on his first ever experience in the US marching with Boston in 2014…
I’ve never really understood all the story of this show that I marched, thanks for this video!
I enjoyed every moment I spent in in America!
Thanks BAC!❤
Proud of being the first (and unfortunately the only) Italian guy marching with you ❤
ciao Lorenzo! Great times, so glad you marched that summer
STEPHEN! WHERE IS THE WIFI???
@@StrikingSixthWho are you? 😂
@@Folclorenz Kyle!
Bravo! I love seeing the history that doesn't fit the public DCI narrative and I really hope you keep releasing this style of content.
I marched Magic of Orlando in 04 and we were the reason that residual residue was added to the rule books in 05 because we used baby powder on the concert basses during our show's fight scene. Wouldn't you figure, GH was the driving force in this ban even though it arguably had such an insignificant effect to the marching surface.
Dude, seriously awesome job with this content! So much of drum corps history and history in the marching activity as a whole, has never really been preserved to be retold like this. So many stories behind past seasons have been lost to time or only been told by word of mouth. I love this! There’s so much to cover! I know there’s a lot of ground to cover with just drum corps alone, but WGI history videos like this would be just as great. Just to keep a pin in it for now 😉 keep up the great work!
My dad was actually the drill writer for this show. I still use the kind of making a group more equal than others when he writes a drill and I have what I think is a good idea lol
Just showed him the video. He said wasn’t sure on how true this all was lol
This show was honestly a pain to research for. Most of the articles pertaining to the G7 were wiped from the internet, as for the events of the season talked to a boston alum. Obviously I won't do things perfectly as I wasn't there but I do the best I can. Thanks for the comment!
the wild thing is that all the other directors blindly went along with GH like meek little puppets...@@CJsMusicTrumpet
@@CJsMusicTrumpet it’s all good. I thought the video was well done and was entertaining. I know members tend to put their own theories on stuff. I know we used to do it when I was in high school marching band. But it is still an interesting narrative all the same.
Chris, my first stop at your videos. I am old drum corps (76-84) and I have not seen a show since the finals in 1985. I watched some of the 2023 finals and I feel like...well, it's not my day in the sun. I was from the east coast back then and remember the Muchachos' issue in 1975 and the Bridgemen a few years later. I marched DCI level with North Star and 27th Lancers. DCI was always playing games (we thought) and there were several tells even back then. I won't put them here but I physically saw 3 of them documented days before the prelims in Canada, Miami and Georgia. It was great when Garfield broke out in 1983 and continued for a 3-peat. They were held together with duct tape and bailing wire as were all of us from the east. I loved my time and would never trade anything from then to have what is there now. I am glad Boston is doing well as I had friends there in my day. Keep it up. I miss the power of G-Bugles and as a contrabass player I really miss the sound of what 6 or 8 could do compared to the 10-16 I see out there today. But I am old now.....Thanks for the forum.
I did open class drum corps. My bf was only ever with crown. He actively supports ending all corps but the top 10-ish. It’s kinda sad how much those guys don’t even think about the lower lever corps
red flag
awesome overview! I remember following the G7 stuff after working w/The Cadets in 2010 and was grinning ear-to-ear every time I got a chance to see Boston's show that year ... what a bold move on their part and it's def worked for them going forward! Also, if I remember correctly a HUGE portion of The Cadets staff, Gino in particular, actually moved to BAC after 2014's season (or maybe later, can't really remember)
I think 2016 might have been Gino's last year.
Let's also not skip over the irony of GH's legal issues and the subsequent collection of high level staff going from Cadets to BAC once GH was ousted. That's a huge epilogue to this tale.
It's also worth noting that GH's rule changes for 30 years got us to the instrumentation changes that now in the 10s and 20s seem normal, but are so jarring to this day for many.
Also, one other wild note. If I recall my history right, it was Boston that used the first synth in 1985. ruclips.net/video/pHc7IdXUGP8/видео.html
I agree with most of what you said, especially the GH part, except the instrument changes was inevitable and pushed by many up and down the ranks. If it's jarring it's because you've put your fingers in your ears for decades.
@@Surelockohms I think you'll find that there is a subset of fans that believe that drum corps as an art should be limited to the sounds that are created on the day. Acoustic sound and reinforcing that acoustic sound as necessary -- not adding effects and allowing generated sounds or pre-recorded things. Foley was part of the art, and I'm not opposed to amplification. I just think it should be the kids making the music.
@@drumcatnau the kids are making the music, just better more modern music than ever. Just because they use mics and effects doesn't make it worse, it actually makes it MORE difficult on timing, set up, and planning. Unless I missed something kids still have to play each note...
@@Surelockohms It's not the mics. Like I said, the kids should CREATE the sound. Playing a synthesiser is not unmusical. Drum corps is based on its instrumentation, and that it had always been sounds created by kids. It's not the same when you have a mic'd echo signal effect, or a pre-recorded speech. I'm not bothered by a mic amplifying an instrument, like a keyboard or a harmonica. That's still a kid playing a real analog instrument. That's drum corps to me; musicianship by the participants in a direct performance.
While I'd be ok with a sampled piano as an exception (logistics), that should be about it. No generated sine waves. No bitcrushing. No DSPs. No recording studio sessions. If the kid didn't do it on the spot, it doesn't belong on the field, IMO. Kids are far too talented to be triggering synthetic sounds.
This is all very cool DCI History you are posting keep it up!
Thanks, will do!
damn boston really loves revolting. Tea parties and makin fun of G7, been mad lads since before we were even a country lol
We need more dci history videos. No one would never know this until stumbling upon it.,
I felt the anger in this show! And I knew it was about the corruption! That makes me so happy to confirm it
This was a really amazing story. I had no idea. I have to say, as I listened to the video I started out on the side of the G7 because . . . I go to the local DCI show to see the big corps. The minor corps are . . . warm-up acts. At the same time, I wouldn't pay $60+ for a ticket to see 2 corps. I happily pay it to see all the warm-up acts, THEN the major corps. So the video pulled me to the side of the smaller corps. They are a significant part of my enjoyment in the audience. While that enjoyment may not be equal in magnitude, it is a necessary ingredient. Would you eat a cinnamon roll without cinnamon?
One wonders if SCV would have marched 2023 if the G7 had their way.
Also, I have a video idea that's perfect for this series. It's one that I was making myself but lost motivation due to life circumstances and never finished. It's about the 1984 Whitewater Wipeout. The Cadets had an infamous pileup at the end of their 1984 performance in Whitewater Wisconsin. It's a deep story, and a case of DCI lost media. As there's only 3 photos of the pileup, but no video has ever been found. There's also a judges tape who was on the field when it happend. I have those photos and that tape as well as an interview with a man who was there that night.
That man is also very active on dci youtube videos. And he's very friendly and loved talking with me about the event. I can provide you with his contact information and all of that stuff and we can talk further if you're interested.
If so, I'd love to talk to you about the tone and direction I wanted to go with my video, and see what you think about it.
Anyways, I hope this finds you well!
Liking this because I know practically nothing about the 84 pileup, I’ve heard it happened but that’s about it
@@theunknowndrummer1209 it's a surprising story all around. I loved learning about it myself. I think if presented in the right way, it would make for a great video.
No video on said pileup is insane
I was there marching with 27th. We heard the crowd but we were outside. I had some friends from North Star days marching Garfield that year but there was not much talk except that it happened. Schedules and bus loading, changing and such and you just never take much time.
I was a lead sop in Garfield (The Cadets, for you kiddies) during the pileup in 84. Whatever you hear from someone who was not on the field that night is hearsay, speculative, and/or opinion - basically useless.
Me waking up from a coma after not paying attention to DCI since like... 2010ish: "What the hell happened here?"
Lmao I thought you meant the chord G7
I remember seeing the G7 set for the first time. It took my breath away with its boldness, and I've loved Boston even more ever since.
your channel is gonna grow a WHOLE LOT by the end of the year! Amazing job on these videos!
can we talk about how back then they classed mandarins as single A and they placed 6th this year
yep. They are another one that has flourished while some of the traditional "big boys" (Phantom, Madison, Cavies to a lesser degree) have seen placement drops. Even Cadets were in 8th for a time this season....
and in the end wasn’t that the point? they KNEW that if they were to secure easy and consistent funding that there would be no issue continuing to place high. An effort to make an competitive less competitive.
The irony of BAC doing animal farm in 2014 as a “fuck you” to GH and the G7, just for the brass caption head of GH corps to end up at BAC in 2017 (due to GH being a pos) and bringing BAC from 12th to 6th in just ONE season, continuing to rank higher each year after, and essentially becoming a G7 corps that GH didn’t consider them as….. insane!
I was only vaguely familiarized with this show, as I've only started following drum corps for a few years and (ironically) mostly watched the top corps.
That being said, now that I know the design and history of the show, I fucking love it. The fact that the show is about a somewhat controversial story about soviet corruption, and using that to as groundwork to compare it to how power hungry some people on the board can be is outright genius. The way they hid so many references and jabs at authority is so hilariously smug. Not to mention their utilization of Shostakovich no. 11 goes perfectly, since Shostakovich is known for his sarcastic hidden messages criticizing authority, and his 11th symphony is still related to animal farm for being about bloody Sunday and USSR's rise in authoritarianism.
Controversial shows are my favorite shows, because I believe drum corps is an art form, and as an art form is able to convey ideas.
I remember in 2012 that it was a big deal Boston beat Cavaliers, especially after the Cavies had dominated for a decade. I think that was another small piece of this puzzle as Boston probably felt like “Okay well now we’re in the G7 too, right?” Only for Boston to place 8th and Cavies in 7th during the 2013 season. I like to think this added fuel to the 2014 design fire.
Interesting to see the early 2010’s era I grew up with as historical. I was just a band nerd eating it all up 😂
Came back to this video after BAC beats Blue Devils this year.....
Michael Lentz was the artistic director for this program and he was a freakin genius. I wish he was back in DCI designing programs.
just found this channel a day or two ago, but I absolutely love the content you've been putting out! This is EXACTLY the kind of stuff I was looking for when I was first getting into the activity through youtube during/post pandemic... I'm so happy that you're providing this now for an entire new wave of marchers. Please keep up content like this, I am very excited and eager to watch your next video when it comes out!! :)
Awesome vid, had no idea how pushy the G7 actually was (also, props to not getting blocked worldwide for using the finals video of Wicked Games lmao)
When you marched that show and still don't have a full video of just the finals multicam. Copyright law is a huge issue for DCI.
@@EuphoniumPlayer97 shoot me an email! I'll get you hooked up.
@CJsMusicTrumpet That's a real nice offer, thank you! Where could I send it off to?
@@EuphoniumPlayer97 If you check the "about" section of my channel you can see my email. It might take me a couple days to respond but I'll for sure send you that multicam when I get the chance.
George was always causing some shit. Glad i marched BAC
I have no clue where in the architecture you've come from, but I've been waiting a long time for something like this. I know this channel is seriously going to blow up. Wishing only the best for you man, keep putting out excellent content like this :)
i already loved this show and boston but this made me love them 10x more. i had no idea that this was the true theme of the show but it enhances it so much. so proud of them for their success this past decade!
As a person hoping to march in the coming years, I really enjoy seeing this kind of content and learning this history of this activity. Thank you for putting this stuff out there ❤
It would be great if you could dig into why DCI and the rules have changed so much! Dig into why electronics were added, trombones, et al. And why shows now have to have so many props. This Boston show had no props and was just marching and it was AWESOME!
Leaving out George Hopkins name seems like a great way to gatekeep knowledge about the history of DCI. I would have said something to the extent of "he was a mostly beloved figure at the time, but due to numerous allegations of wrongdoing is no longer seen favorably in the DCI community." That way, YT censors don't get on your case for talking about non-advertiser-friendly stuff, and you get the point across to the viewer of "GH's" significant power at the time in the DCI world.
However, I enjoyed your coverage of this topic! I remember it being a large discussion point with my friends who were into drum corps at the time. I wonder if you could or have reached out to any staff members from that year to discuss anything additional that they did in the show as "easter eggs" as you described them. Hope to see more quality videos when you have the time to post them!
Well what really pissed off BAC was that GH excluded BAC from the G7 because they hadnt placed in the top 7 consistantly before this. From what I heard
My understanding of the G7 was that it was completely financially motivated. Each show on tour is "hosted" by a certain corps and it is the host corps financial and logistical responsibility to find/fund housing sites for every corps performing at that show. So there was this divide between corps who had a good financial situation who were always hosting the less well off corps. This was draining the top corps pockets so they decided to make the Tour Of Champions where the housing was equally distributed between all the G7 corps.
Nice job chris
Dude this is fantastic. This is the type of thing RUclips needed! Not to mention your writings incredible. I was there for semi finals that year and I just said, "I liked the show, it was dark." now an entire 9 years later, still gives me chills to this day. Great job on the vid man!
very well made video, would love to see more content and history trivia like this. or just any drum corps content, lol. totally agree with you on the lack of quality of drum corps content on youtube as of now. you're helping change that, keep it up man
I just came across your video, this is an education for many Drum Corp fans, myself included. A huge THANK YOU! wouldn't a great follow up program be "Where is he now?" GH saga
2024 - 2nd place! Thanks for making this. Super interesting. GH always seemed like a Wormtongue. I only spend a little time around him as a photographer at some DCI events, and I always had to get my degunk my spirit afterwards. I'd love to know how many of the last 20 years of shenanigans he pushed for. No G horns, trombones, lights, amplifiers, violins etc, no hats, dancing hornlines, 289382 people on the field, etc. Not that I hate all of them, but for a while every year there were some "big new allowances". They always felt GHy.
Well, the Cadets went bankrupt and the Cavaliers + SCV have taken a bit of a hit in standings, now Mandarins, Boston Crusaders, and Troopers are really rising while Blue Devils, Bloo, and Crown are kinda holding. That fact that plan didn't go through probably allowed for much more innovation in DCI.
Yo this is wild that one of the shows I watched, and the season that made me leave drum corps, is being shared with current drum corps fans.
This season was an absolute rollercoaster to march. It felt very demoralizing during the season that the members had no control over our success, and instead were largely used as a political tool. We had absolutely brutal drill, incredibly demanding rehearsal days, and way too many injuries throughout that season.
I can only hope that members nowadays are treated with more respect, since it was such a formative part of my life and I grew so much throughout the experience.
B.A.C 13’, 14’
'GH' was basically a troll on RAMD back in the 90's, so he lost a lot of the good will I had built up for him at the time.
I'm convinced that he was a positive influence back in the 80's, but that he (and his ego) got too big for his britches and most of the rules proposals he pushed later on just did not sit right with me. His ego and arrogance was the reason that I was shocked but not surprised by the legal issues that led to his exit.
I was unaware of the politics behind the G7 scheme and the ToC shows (the concept of which did not sit well with me either) or of the subtext of this show. On the other hand, I remember the baby powder incident and agree with the penalty if it was in the rules. Otherwise, what stops someone from pulling out a can of spray paint and leaving a much more permanent 'residue'?. However, if it wasn't not in the rules or had not been enforced when it should have, then I see a problem with enforcing it there.
Thanks for sharing this. I appreciate the real history and information. Glad I found your video and have subscribed to your channel. Keep up the great work!
George Hopkins
As a current crusader, I never got to learn the exact details of this show and this makes it so much more awesome!!! Thank you for sharing this! Great video!!
And now Boston and Coats are a top 7 corps and Cavies and Phantom fell far below that, (until recently with Phantom) not to mention Cadets disbanding.
The problem with G7 is that no one is top 7 forever
So wait, what happened with the G7 since 2014 then? Who is GH? Didn't DCA organize corps away from the AL and VFW origins long before DCI?
I remember watching this show live and was GAGGED by the balls of this corp of giants
This is the big reason I just stopped watching DCI. Boston Crusaders have been great for years, but there's just clearly been so much corruption it just wasn't even fun to watch after 2015.
What’s the music at 8:35?
Always called GH the "Dark Angel of Drum Corps", good to know I wasn't wrong about the prick.
I miss drum corps. Instead all I see summer marching bands. BACs past decade shows have definitely been more difficult and pleasing to watch compare the Blue Devils.
G7 should of done their own thing on the side while still being in DCI shows. Been their own 7 judged dif from the other corps, where also just about all rules/bets were off and they could put whatever pretentious over produced show they could afford to put on while the other corps went on to keep a semblance of what drum corps is. Instead, now we have every corps doing, dancing, playing like each other
Good stuff, did not know this history. A big FU to GH and the G7 from BAC…LOL
In case someone needs reference: GH = Geroge Hopkins. Look him up, you'll find out more than you want to know . . .
Props to Boston. I already loved them but seeing the Easter eggs and being told of the G7 history from you has made me love them more. Thank you
I maintain the Wicked Games show was the most entertaining show in 2017...maybe not the best for the score sheet but my word it was entertaining
Oooh, DCI lore! It WOULD be interesting to see videos talk about the past. Given how niche DCI is... it's hard to preserve stories like these. I'll definitely stick around for more!
We were judging a show at WGI about the evolution of the earth. They used baby powder during the “big Bang”. It was a cool and original effect, but the powder came straight at us downstairs judges. We were coughing and trying to do commentary at the same time. After that, WGI made a rule of no more powder. I never thought it would be a problem on the field until I watched a band use it as if a rocket was blasting off. It stained the field for the rest of the competition, got on people and ruined the effect other bands were trying to portray. Indoors, yeah I get it. It was pretty bad cause we were choking. Outdoors? I’m not seeing TOO much of a problem except for the example above. I’m just going to go with the flow.
Crusaders easily had the best show this year. Their placement in the standings was a joke. Now I understand why.
Though I know who GH is, my initials are also GH, and when he said it, I started to panic for a second.
I marched Boston ‘12 and ‘13. I had no idea all of this was going on! I was only 16 at the time tho
Animal Farm literally took the balls to the wall. Bravo BAC for standing your ground and taking on the G7!!! Thank you for this video and hope to see many more like it. !! Go BAC !!!
I got the opportunity to march at Knights during that year, and the year after. I loved watching Boston’s show and respected the message, also being in a corps outside of the G7. Personally, I was really bothered that we placed ahead of Phantom at Prelims and Semis in 2014, only to place 8th behind them on Finals night….. really felt like that G7 thing was still present, but I guess they had a better finals night performance. It definitely felt great to break through that division and place 6th the next year though. It was the beginning of a new era, and even THAT has long passed by now.
Thanks for sharing this important part of Drum Corps history!
this show is one of the most Boston things I have heard of (from a masshole)
None of this surprises me. I knew something was going on behind the scenes.
Hoopy started this crap as far back as 2002.
this is awesome! would love to see a video on the history of individual impact in the activity like the people that the DCI caption awards were named after. like for instance, I had no idea that there was a WGI color guard show (I think it was performed by Fantasia) themed after George Zingali’s life. really cool show and really cool story.
BAC alum here, thank you for this video. I unfortunately only got to march in 15 and 16, but all of my friends who convinced me to audition marched this show and I loved it. We always took the idea of pushing the envelope even when it was just our own skill levels, though 16 is a bit of a different story. But I always appreciate some history!!
This was already one of my favorite shows... this may just have made it MOST favorite show ever lol
your channel is the DCI content I've longed for!
Imagine if the G7 set was right at the some are more equal than others
Being in Boston 2017, I must inform that we acheived 6th place overall rather than 5th. Ahead of the Cadets but behind the Bluecoats.
I made a mistake! Sorry I must have mixed up reading scores.
GH is a slime bag. Accurate video.
Where is Part 2 of this video, I want to know how this ended??? Did the G7 dissolve? Are the Boston Crusaders now part of the G7 and want the same? Was there some sort of compromise?
I marched in the early 80’s and haven’t follow drum corps very closely since. I find these stories of what has happened since I left fascinating, thank you for putting them together. I have a box of old programs and memorabilia from the late 70’s and early 80’s if it would be any help in your future videos.
G7 Basically doesn’t exist or at least not like it did. Corps do work with and communicate with each other but at this point all corps are fighting for their own survival. As for Hopkins he’s been ousted for “allegedly”(don’t sue me) for doing some unsavory things to female members and has not been involved in the activity as anything other than a viewer.
Drum corps today has become very ? Gone are the Glory days The 60's ! And many corps gone !
Not a fan of so many props, talking/singing and electrics
I had noticed the G7 set and understood the baby powder reference, but I never knew this show had so much depth to it. Great video
DCI has really had a hole for info video essays on dci
This is great! This is like a Secret Base video.
Is there anywhere to find the G7 report?
I'm curious about the sources that you referenced in the creation of this - did you by chance compile them/interview people involved?
I ask because, as someone who was pretty heavily in the scene at the time, a lot of this doesn't line up with what I remember happening. Specifically, I don't remember GH's presentation being "on behalf" of the G7 - I pretty vividly remember that presentation being something that he did on his own and presented solo at a DCI Board meeting in the offseason between 2013 and 2014 and trying to drum up support for. If I'm recalling right, the presentation contained a lot of Hopkins-isms beyond just the proposed restructure - including a mandate to legalize the usage of woodwinds in competitions (I remember this because this is something that I'm super for, and I remember thinking that part specifically was a good idea) - which actually alienated a lot of the directors on the board, though the directors of the G7 all agreed with GH's restructure proposal in general, which is what lead to the threatened MiM split and the ToC compromise.
The other side of this that I question is the actual intentionality of Boston's show to be an affront to the ToC/G7 beyond just being cheeky about it. In my experience talking with people involved in this show (both as someone who marched with people who marched this show, and as someone who knew key staff members/caption heads pretty well), no one ever mentioned the G7 being the central point of the show. To my understanding, there was more anger about the penalty in 2013 and a perception of leniency towards the better scoring corps which underpinned the design of the whole show, and then the G7/ToC stuff ended up fitting in nicely with the theme they had already been designing for, so they added it in.
I don't mean to blow your video up or anything - I think drum corps history is something that should absolutely be preserved and passed down, as there's some really neat things that have happened over the decades that just speak volumes to the community aspect of the activity and its value. I'm just left questioning my own memory of how this all went down as a part of this video, and I think it's worth trying to be as correct as we can in trying to memorialize this stuff. Also, it helps us all be better informed about the state of the activity as a whole consequently - for example, the way that GH describes open class corps is actually basically how they ended up being treated, even now. A lot of people don't realize this, but open class corps don't actually get paid to go to shows like world class corps do. DCI (the organization at large) basically treats open class groups as expendable/non-value-add talent, and gives them basically the ass end of the stick in every case, yet they try and talk open class up as a "growing grounds" for the next big world class corps. Knowing the history of that kind of stuff is invaluable in rallying against it and asking for systemic changes in the organization as a whole to make the activity a better, safer, and more inclusive place.
Yes a lot(most) of the info I researched for this video was based on a conversation with a BAC alum. Some of it is from the Drum Corps World Article(now deleted), as well as the leaked G7 Slideshow. I had to scroll through the pits of RAMD to find a lot of stuff that was basically unobtainable I would say. You are correct about the woodwinds portion, hop did mention it being something that was necessary eventually to secure a future in drum corps. The presentation itself was shown at a dci board meeting in 2010, the letter sent by GH came later in jan of 2013. I'm 90% on the dates as I did some extensive research on those even down to tracking down the original DCW article on the subject. As for the presentation on what I could find the G7 concept was something that was more or less agreed on by the other 6 members before the presentation was given, however not all of them were involved with the actual drafting of the presentation, it seems like it was solely written by hop, with the cavaliers corps director taking some strong oppositions to the slideshow itself. Hope this comment helps and thanks!
It's not clear how on board which corps were with the whole idea in general as well. I've heard (not confirmed) that BD ended up apologizing for the whole thing to BAC down the line(again not confirmed). It's possible that the corps were completely on board with the whole idea and let GH take the brunt of it. But it's equally possible that GH went to the top 7 and said "we deserve" more money and they said "yeah sure", and then he went on to write the whole 'G7 Report'. In reality things are alot more gray and there are some things that we will never know. Hopefully this can clear up alot of stuff you had questions about. Getting things right is important to me and I would never want to 'stir the pot' with wrong information. I spent about 4 days conducting research just to be as truthful as possible. I won't be perfect but my goal is to be as close as possible.
edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/08/12/drum.corps.trouble/index.html#fbid=6GOBkaEHiB7&wom=false
This article for example predates your recollection of the G7 events happening between 13/14. Just so you can see some form of a reliable source and that I'm not just saying stuff just to say it.
web.archive.org/web/20100526154006/www.drumcorpsworld.com/articles.cfm?id=811 The original Drum Corps World Article on the Board of Directors meeting in 2010
@@CJsMusicTrumpet yes, this is all awesome! In thinking about it more, I remember the G7 presentation coming out right at the end of my time in high school, so that totally lines up better with 2010. I appreciate you sharing your sources too, this is great.
It does make me wonder, who was GH?
I had no idea this was even a thing wtf why does this video only have 250 views thats so unfair
I just uploaded it an hour ago lol
This is why I absolutely loved this show. I had read 'Animal Farm' the year before, and because of this, I was able completely understood the show on the first read. That was a first for me. However, once I got filled in by other nearby audience members of what was going on BTS in DCI, it became real clear that BAC was using this show to speak their minds about what was going on in the circuit at the time. It's in my personal top 5 shows for a reason.
"GH" was discussing changing DCI back in the '90s. I know, I was there.I marched a corps for 6 years and when we became a YEA corps, we saw a lot of "GH" and he was not quiet about his plans.
Dang. I marched Crossmen from ‘14-‘16 and I hated doing ToC shows. So much politics and score inflation (….for some…) at those. I didn’t understand at the time why they were a thing, but it makes more sense now.
For example, wouldn’t Taylor Swift take more ticket sales than the opening acts? I can actually see a legit argument for this
but the other corps aren’t the “opening acts”… they’re all equally important to the kids that march them (aka the people who drum corps should be for)
@@littleoblivion that may be true, but that doesn’t equal ticket sales and crowd draw (which equals profits). Not by a long shot.
I still have my ticket for the 2014 live airing semi-finals from a movie theater. I was a sophomore in HS and when I saw them, I absolutely fell in love with them specifically. At the time, I had no idea any of that had been going on. My love for them has never faded, even 10 years later.