Just a coupla tidbits here. You have any to share?

Did you know that Jeff Fiedler, long time director of The Cavaliers, is now executive director of Santa Clara Vanguard? I just found this out.

Where I live, in Twin Lake, MI, the local high school is Reeths-Puffer H.S. Well, they always had a pretty shabby marching band, I am told. That is until they got a new director, not too many years ago. Now, they rule the state; they are THE outstanding h.s. marching band in MI. The interesting thing is that the director used to march drum and bugle corps. With whom, I don't know, but I want to find out.

Bill, the move of Jeff Fielder to Santa Clara is OLD news. That happened in early winter.

As far as the "transformation" of the local band: that is fairly common. LOTS of music education graduates have spent time in drum corps (that is a MAJOR function of the "new DCI corps) getting experience. Looks good on their teaching resumes.

Actually, I am surprised that DCI corps don't look for support funding from university music schools. They could run the drum corps summer program as a college credit course!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

No refunds? No rainchecks?

When I went to the DCI show in Naperville, at North Central College, I paid for my ticket, $25. It started raining, and came down pretty hard, there for a while. I got under cover and wondered how they're gonna refund all these tickets. Well, I read the fine print on my ticket: no refund, no raincheck. I didn't know that! Fortunately, the rain subsided and they got in the entire show. So, if the show had been rained out, DCI keeps all that ticket money, and we, the consumers are *******?! If that's the case, why buy tickets in advance, even if you can get better seats that way? It's risky. Did you know this about DCI, folks? It's hard for me to believe it's true.

Re: Refunds. Bill, that might not be a DCI policy. Could be an individual sponsor choice.

Re: raincheck ... the next day all the corps are GONE. How do you give a raincheck?

In the "old days", it was common to transform the rained out outdoor show into an indoor show (or exhibition) in the high school auditorium. It was clumsy, but at least there was something.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Yeah, that could be, Dave, about the refund. I want to yet find out.

As for the raincheck, perhaps you could have your choice of using the money spent on the ticket for going to another DCI event.

What if you also had the option of sitting on your ticket and then using it for the same show the next year... i.e. applying the money spent toward the purchase of a new ticket.

I'd gladly settle for some type of indoor show, tho that might not be possible.

In any case, you shouldn't be ripped off by not getting your ticket money back, somehow. That's dirty.

Well, a "ticket" is an implied contract .. you are paying money to see a show. No show .. contract is broken. Guess you'll have to see a lawyer!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63