Blue Devils 2013

[Quad Aces]

Jeez, at this rate, before you know it, people will start to make predictions in the winter of the placements of the top 20 Corps for the following August without knowing a single thing about the themes, the shows, or the music that will be played for the following season by any of the Corps. Sure glad we don't jump the gun here yet with THAT.

I think people are missing the OP's point - fine, disregard this upcoming year's show and his point is still valid. He is an alum that is upset at the direction BD has taken for the better part of the last decade.

[flammaster]

I am a 43 year BD alum who loves the direction they have taken the last few years and can not wait for this years production! Even more so this years BDB production!

[BRASSO]

I understand what you're saying in your post and don't entirely disagree... but it is tough to discount the championship victories, especially for a corps that gears its program to contending for championships.

I mean, something sure is working, and working quite well, for BD!!!

I agree. Its hard to fault the Blue Devils staff for designing shows that wins Titles.

If they lost with these shows, then naturally they would perhaps rethink the direction their shows have taken of late.

The audience is a total non factor in the scoring in DCI Drum Corps these days. What the audience likes or dislikes is irrelevent, no matter what Cesario wants to tell us. The BD show is designed to appeal to the narrow appeal of approx. 50 people. And BD tends to know their "audience" ( 50 judges )and what they tend to like and reward. They design it to appeal to these 50 people, then execute the hell out of it by practicing with more practice time by competing in upwards of 35% less shows than their top tier World Class Division competitors. Its a formula that works. So I see no rationale to be critical of a Corps that knows how to appeal to the audience that counts and turn a deaf ear to the audience that doesn't count. Now that these shows are winning, I can easily see a couple of other Corps now developing shows similar to BD that have the judges almost wetting themselves in approval, while most other normal people in nationwide audiences continue to be frustrated, made to feel inadequate, and become totally lost re. the show theme, music, visual, and what the hell its all about.

Edited May 17, 2013 by BRASSO

[Jeff Ream]

How true is this?

Cavies Machine got massive applause.

BD Winged Victory got massive applause.

Phantom Spartacus got massive applause.

Cadets Angels and Demons got massive applause.

BD didn't get massive applause for 1930, Through a Glass or Cabaret.

So yeah, three of the past four years - but all three one corps. If the suggestion is the system is broken, I don't think that's quite fair. Rather I think someone needs to figure out a way to beat BD - which happened two of the past five years and three of the past seven.

HH

well....to be honest, if 2007 wasn't in Cali, I'm not sure the applause would have been massive

[theCHEZman]

BD's formula has been working for many years. This current "design strategy " will eventually lose its appeal and someone else will reign supreme. We all remember the Cadet glory years, and certainly the Cavaliers power decade. When the change occurs, who knows, but it will. I certainly want to go crazy for the gold medalist again, hasn't happened in a while.

[glory]

.. The audience is a total non factor in the scoring in DCI Drum Corps these days. What the audience likes or dislikes is irrelevent...

This has always been the case in DCI. And while there were (and are) many years when the audience concurs in the judges' judgment, there were also times in the past when much of the audience dissented. I've been around long enough to remember the grumbling that accompanied the Cadets four championships in five years in the 80s. Yes there were plenty of fans - lots of applause. But yes as well there was plenty of dissent too with a style that was seen as taking drum corps away from its more regimented roots. Star's championship had many resenters also. Ironically, what that large complaining crowd wanted 20 or so years ago was a judging regime that appreciated the BD style more. BD on the other hand, after two more Cadet wins, moved on - and by 94 was winning in the new style.

HH

[BRASSO]

This has always been the case in DCI. And while there were (and are) many years when the audience concurs in the judges' judgment,

HH

My observation is that the national audience favorite show for any given year since the 1990's has not been the judges choice that resulted in the award by the judges of the DCI Title that season. Overwhelmingly, it is the exception rather than the rule.

[Potts]

It's ok, Crown's the one doing Phillip Glass this year

[hammondbrass]

The Blue Devils playing the Rite of Spring (that's whatit is no matter what you call it) is like Philip Glass as the musical guest onSaturday Night Live.

Also, is Phillip Glass that foreign to our ears?

[dbg]

It always makes me laugh how many people choose to rip on what BD does every single year with regards to show design. The staff/organization of BD knows more of the "in and outs" of this activity then the "arm chair directors" that troll around here in DCP......BD has won more than any other corps in the history of the activity.......so am I basing their success off of the win record.....partly.....but look at the organization as a whole.....BDA very successful.....BDB very successful....BDC....competitively, not "successful" bit they are little kids..but are they entertaining...ABSOLUTELY.....so one organization running 3 successful corps....plus now add in all of the international travel / clinics that have been going on....BD is an amazingly successful organization all around.

It would be awesome if the amount of people who come in here and rip on successful groups would put that energy into helping lower placings groups or groups that needed some help with their background organizational issues......

If you feel the need to share your knowledge then you might as well do something important for the activity......BD doesn't really need your help....find a corps that does