corpsband Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 I'm not a hater. That takes up way too much energy and power to others. I just don't like the concept of BD 2012. Not liking and hating are two different things. When I spend beaucoup (sp) dollars traveling and tkts to the show, I personally am bored with these intellectual-type shows, with unfamiliar music, where random riffs and short excerpts and strings of the 'compositions' are played. All this pseudo-mumbo-jumbo pretext introduction to the shows doesn't mean a whole lot to me. If I want to see and hear Dada then I'll take MaMa with me to a real museum. I wanna see and hear blow my socks off kind of shows! Madison, Cadets, Phantom, Crown, etc! There's often a huge intellectual underpinning to shows where -- when we see the actual performance -- it just doesn't matter very much because the SHOW is really good. I saw Bluecoats 2010 before and after I heard the "explanation". I never did "get" it, but I didn't care -- it was a really good drum corps show that stood on it's own very well without the "mumbo jumbo". Entertaining drum corps is entertaining drum corps. Sometimes the intellectual stuff helps me enjoy the show more (we all like to feel that "aha!" moment when we figure out why something happens on the field) but sometimes it just doesn't matter -- the music and visual combine to make it enjoyable. Does BD's show announcement excite? Well not necessarily -- but it does intrigue. Let's wait and see what they bring. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowtown Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 I saw Bluecoats 2010 before and after I heard the "explanation". I never did "get" it, but I didn't care -- it was a really good drum corps show that stood on it's own very well without the "mumbo jumbo". There was an explanation, what was it? And yeah, I liked the show just fine not knowing it, so it worked and was effective own its own I think shows should be able to be enjoyed without knowing anything about them and if you know more and then enjoy them more because of it, that's the bonus I didn’t know BD 2005 was a backwards show until after the season and I saw it like 4 or 5 times…I might have enjoyed it more knowing that but to put that burden upon me is a bit unfair…so I hope this show doesn’t drift into that needing to know area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Balash Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Memo to Blue Devils Staff: Please cut all 37 pieces from your 2012 theatrical production with the exception of two. Instead, just fill up 11 1/2 minutes worth of "Peppy and George" and "New Arrival", create whatever storyline you want, and give it whatever title you want for this year's drum corps show. In fact, come to think of it, you can completely forego the storyline and title too, as those aren't really necessary either. Sincerely, Your Ex-Diehard Fans And have to find another 9:00 of music. Either that, or do 11:00 of variations on this music! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 And have to find another 9:00 of music. Either that, or do 11:00 of variations on this music! Phantom did something like that in '09, yes? Mike 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noname Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 There was an explanation, what was it? Metropolis: The Future is Now First off, "the Future is Now" bit isn't technically part of the show theme. That's more a definition of the members of the corps. Another way to say "we are the future" I guess. This is at least what I've been told by Michael Gray. It's been a while so I could be slightly off, but the theme of the show is focused on an individual, who just got into Metropolis for the first time. This individual struggles but eventually finds his place throughout the show. The leaning colorguard members are portraying looming skyscrapers. If anybody can explain this better, please do! I'd like a good old refresher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 This sounds right . And Metropolis as in the eponymous 1927 silent film by Fritz Lang. Urban dystopia etc... Metropolis: The Future is Now First off, "the Future is Now" bit isn't technically part of the show theme. That's more a definition of the members of the corps. Another way to say "we are the future" I guess. This is at least what I've been told by Michael Gray. It's been a while so I could be slightly off, but the theme of the show is focused on an individual, who just got into Metropolis for the first time. This individual struggles but eventually finds his place throughout the show. The leaning colorguard members are portraying looming skyscrapers. If anybody can explain this better, please do! I'd like a good old refresher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaredude08 Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Metropolis: The Future is Now First off, "the Future is Now" bit isn't technically part of the show theme. That's more a definition of the members of the corps. Another way to say "we are the future" I guess. This is at least what I've been told by Michael Gray. It's been a while so I could be slightly off, but the theme of the show is focused on an individual, who just got into Metropolis for the first time. This individual struggles but eventually finds his place throughout the show. The leaning colorguard members are portraying looming skyscrapers. If anybody can explain this better, please do! I'd like a good old refresher. I feel like this example sort of summarizes what good show design is and isn't. Oftentimes, staffs have extremely intricate thought processes and storylines behind every aspect of their show. To expect someone watching their marching band to pick up on all those intricacies is absurd, but that's where good design seperates from bad design. A good show is one that has a good enough recipe of music and visual that anyone can watch it and enjoy it without picking up on a lick of the show designers' elaborate manifesto. Bluecoats 2010 is a great example. Someone being introduced to a dystopian metropolis? Some nameless character has internal character development? The guard is supposed to represent buildings? Seriously? But it doesn't matter how convoluted it was -- the music and visual was top notch on its own. A bad show, on the other hand, sacrifices having good music and marching to "get the theme across", which is a pointless waste of time except for the judges, and is almost never satisfying for the viewer. To summmarize: it's marching band. Any use of acting, props, interpretive dance, or whatever, that you use to try to get your point across, is probably general enough that only some of the audience will get it at most. Sure, you the designer understand what it all means, but that's because you've spent countless hours throughout the past year pouring thought into every aspect of this show. The audience at large has never even touched on your concept before in their lives. You need to make it flat out good drum corps at the end of the day, to heck with show concepts. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 I feel like this example sort of summarizes what good show design is and isn't. Oftentimes, staffs have extremely intricate thought processes and storylines behind every aspect of their show. To expect someone watching their marching band to pick up on all those intricacies is absurd, but that's where good design seperates from bad design. A good show is one that has a good enough recipe of music and visual that anyone can watch it and enjoy it without picking up on a lick of the show designers' elaborate manifesto. Bluecoats 2010 is a great example. Someone being introduced to a dystopian metropolis? Some nameless character has internal character development? The guard is supposed to represent buildings? Seriously? But it doesn't matter how convoluted it was -- the music and visual was top notch on its own. A bad show, on the other hand, sacrifices having good music and marching to "get the theme across", which is a pointless waste of time except for the judges, and is almost never satisfying for the viewer. To summmarize: it's marching band. Any use of acting, props, interpretive dance, or whatever, that you use to try to get your point across, is probably general enough that only some of the audience will get it at most. Sure, you the designer understand what it all means, but that's because you've spent countless hours throughout the past year pouring thought into every aspect of this show. The audience at large has never even touched on your concept before in their lives. You need to make it flat out good drum corps at the end of the day, to heck with show concepts. the KISS theory works best. I mean who didn't get Spartacus? Rach Star? Juliet? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quad Aces Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 "Peppy and George" and "New Arrival" And have to find another 9:00 of music. Either that, or do 11:00 of variations on this music! I'm good with that... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_demello Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I thought BD was mostly concerned with their ring fingers! That's my hand and my rings! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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