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What's missing in today's DCI...


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I sure don't understand the sarcastic daggers thrown at those who show appreciation for some of the traditions of the activity.

Me neither.

It's not like the OP came on here trashing modern-day drum corps, and in particular the members of those corps. If he/she had done that, then game on. But that was not the case here.

I read what the OP had to say... and then sure enough, came the first snarky reply. I don't get it.

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Two of the best on-field warmups.....

1977 Garfield Cadets, who within weeks of it opening in theatres, played the main Star Wars theme. People went nuts! It lead to fans holding up May The Force Be With You signs the rest of the summer. (And that lead to the Blue Devils having their fans hold up signs that said, We ARE The Force.)

A few years later Madison played the Faber College Theme from Animal House. Outstanding!

Edited by Northern Thunder
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In the olden days, 1976 or 77, When we still had "concert side" and "back field" seats, Phantom Regiment did a show for the back field as a warm up. They played Leroy Anderson's "Phantom Regiment" and did move, but never marked time. If think if they had actually marked time, the timing and penalty judge would have fired the gun and they would have had an overtime penalty.

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Garfield, I'm gonna take a stab at it and guess that people saw this post similarly to how I did. The post seems to imply (but not explicitly state) that drum corps back then was better than drum corps now because of the traditions. Newer fans like myself don't like being told that. I doubt a 90s drum corps fan would like being told that the 70s was better.

Though I don't see a reason to chastise him, I can definitely see this post being taken the wrong way.

Edited by Cappybara
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I agree with the OP.

The visceral reaction caused by on-field warm-ups BITD were implanted on my young DNA. It is missing in modern drum corps, and missed by me,

I also miss the joint America-O-Canada after scores at finals. Despite all the naysayer's objection that it was never in tune and could never be tuned, and did not actually represent the "International" in DCI, the sheer amazement at the wall of sound was just plain fun to hear. Is there any other experience in life where one can hear over 1,000 horns playing together at once? Any? Is there any other part of drum corps where the best of today's corps come together to simply present a recognition unison "thank you" for the pure enjoyment of the fans? It is missing in modern drum corps, and missed by me.

it's a trade-off.

i miss the trademark warm-ups. and mass finale. and retreats. and parading the stands.

but would the spine-tingling hit in Crown this year have nearly the impact if they hadn't set the mood with Ecstasy of Gold?

so -- love pre-shows too.

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Two of the best on-field warmups.....

1977 Garfield Cadets, who within weeks of it opening in theatres, played the main Star Wars theme. People went nuts! It lead to fans holding up May The Force Be With You signs the rest of the summer. (And that lead to the Blue Devils having their fans hold up signs that said, We ARE The Force.)

A few years later Madison played the Faber College Theme from Animal House. Outstanding!

The Star Wars bit was followed later in the show by the theme from Star Trek with it's jazzy interpretation. Frank Dorrittie, most recent DCI HoFer, had much to do with that hornline then.

Edited by xandandl
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I miss the "Wow!" from newbie fans.

I'm so glad to say that this is not gone like so many other traditions.

I took a 14 year-old trumpet player (and his parents - Dad played trumpet, too) to their first show, late season - after Allentown, and all three of them had those saucer-eyes and slack jaws when Crown hit their opener (and Blue Stars, and Madison, and PC!). They came away exhausted at the excitement.

The son is a prodigy and, in a couple of years, he and his parents will be immersed in the activity.

The "WOW!" is still there - take some newbies and watch them, you'll see!

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Garfield, I'm gonna take a stab at it and guess that people saw this post similarly to how I did. The post seems to imply (but not explicitly state) that drum corps back then was better than drum corps now because of the traditions. Newer fans like myself don't like being told that. I doubt a 90s drum corps fan would like being told that the 70s was better.

Though I don't see a reason to chastise him, I can definitely see this post being taken the wrong way.

Cappy, perhaps we old-time DCP'ers are just prepared, and maybe a little defensive, because so many posts such as his do, in fact, intend to say it was better BITD. But his didn't, and it appeared as though a bunch of DCP-vets were piling on his post for an assumed reason. Not fair, IMO, and does little to attract new fans to the Planet, I believe.

I wonder about the psychology that would allow "younger" fans to be defensive about the feelings of someone who experienced something they didn't. It's possible that the Dinos are right and you have no basis at all to counter their claim, besides your defensiveness. See, we Dinos have experienced both the modern and the BITD, and some choose the BITD (I don't choose, so haters don't hate on me!)

I think, as I replied to another here, when you become one of the Dinos (it's not that far away!) you'll have the appreciation of perspective to understand those who have proclaimed their favorite in the "old days".

But again, that's not what this OP did, now was it?

Edited by garfield
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