Corbin

Although we have not always agreed, I have a great deal of respect for the way you say what you do on DCP, corpsband. Thank you for this great post, and the red negatives have never kept me from saying something I felt needed to be said, although they have helped me develop my skills in how I say it, in many instances not all, however.

It looks like a dark comedy clown costume rather than a uniform. I completely agree with you. Glad I didn't pay for it. It is a critique that seems well deserved. I'm sure this is something Einstein would have worn on the beach.

This is one of the best responses to anything I have written on DCP to date. Thank you, Mr. Fallon, for the thoughtful response and not be dismissive of what is an important topic of discussion. Often, some on the forum believe that I am negative just to be so and this is simply NOT the case. As a business, where a lot of money is not changing hands, people (e.g., parents and members) need to hold corps more accountable for how and where the money is spent. To give an example, when I first marched 23 years ago, it cost $500 dues and that was it. Think about how the activity has changed in the last two decades. With the amounts of money that corps are now taking in and pouring out, people need to take a significant interest in what is going on in the activity. DCI and its various corps are now businesses that metaphorically sell stocks (e.g., the opportunity to be selected to march or be declined) and the gamble to audition or not is like the rise and fall of the market and a lot must be considered when applying to most corps now. The more corps act like businesses and want people to invest their money, the more serious the activity and the experience of marching becomes. Again thank you taking the time to respond graciously.

I have found, mikespeed, that criticism is generally equal to "closed-mindedness" on the forum. Hence, the several red negatives I have received over the years for being critical of a corps I marched with over two decades ago. Critical assessment of a corps one has marched with has generally been perceived as the ultimate betrayal, even when it MAY be deserved. I generally think carefully about my posts and, although at times, I could have said something in a different way, I am usually satisfied with the content of my critique over the years on DCP and, therefore, have few regrets in this regard.

Please feel no need to apologize. I am the king curmudgeon.

Be careful, Daave. You are asking for people to be a little logical and realistic about the activity in a forum where criticism is not generally tolerated well. Tread lightly.

Wait...you called people "haters" and "bitter," but my comment was harsh?? I want to honestly understand this communication, because it seems a little double-standardish for all those that gave me negatives.

I did not arbitrarily get on the Crossmen discussion to make the point about THEM, but wanted to link what was said to the larger discussion about how there needs to be more accountability how money is made and spent in the activity generally. The FACT IS that the activity is getting smaller and tours getting shorter because of the money. How much money is spent corresponds very much to the success of failure of a corps survival. In other words, drum corps is now more of a business than it ever has been. My point is that for many it is not longer worth the cost to try out if one knows they cannot make it.

Wow...the word "innovative" is now a euphemism for aloof, snobbish, or elitist. Oh well.

Perish the thought that a corps would receive criticism or need accountability for how monies are collected and spent. Mismanagement of funds is a problem in DCI. This is why DCP is now so disappointing, namely no one can critique, even in a constructive manner without someone taking it personally. I, frankly, am tired of the lavish spending that has gone on in some corps and seeing dues sky-rocket. Why do corps need new uniforms every year? Why do they need new instruments every year? It seems that if someone wants to march in an upper elite corps, they have to put out a second mortgage on a house. Too many people on the forum, especially during the season, spend a lot of time ignoring some major issues (e.g., the (mis)use of funds) that have led to the demise of many, many corps. Nuff said.

SCV, period.

Crown 2007

Gotta really hand to to the Cadets organization for connecting with their potential fans as they have here. Hopkins is at least trying to make the Cadets more audience friendly by letting us into their rehearsals like his has. Now if only other corps would do the same. The silence thing seems overly dramatic and unhelpful.

I am looking forward to both shows, SCV especially. I think the pressure is going to really be on the color guard to tell the story. They need big personalities for those that will be portraying the main characters of the film. I don't think they need to go to the great tricks they used in the late 80s to propel the momentum, but they may think about doing some radical uniform design that pulls the audience into the world of the French revolution of aristocrat, commoner, prostitute, etc.

What do people think of the Blue Knights' preshow from 2011's "An English Folksong Suite?" I thought it was emotionally stirring and really set the tone for a beautifully done show.