Jump to content

For Dinosaurs Only


Recommended Posts

Both DCI and DCA already have in place separate Divisions within their own organizations to accommodate different approaches to Drum Corps competition and performance exhibition ( I& E ). These things will be voted on, similarly as to how they are worked on, proposed, and voted on now. We already have DCA Corps performing in exhibition at DCI shows. At one time, there were shows with Senior Corps and Junior Corps competing at the same show, same judges, different divisions.. so the concept is not unheard of. Minnesota Brass performed this year at a primarily DCI show. This'll all come together and details worked out, imo. There are duplicative costs that can be consolidated, and the merged DCI and DCA can conceivably be mutually beneficial to work in tandem..... as opposed to separate entities. The future financial landscape will provide the proper environment for a merger of DCI amd DCA to occur, imo. I think the merger of DCI and DCA is inevitable. Its not a question of " if ", in my view....just a question of " when ". It won't happen tomorrow. But thats where this is all headed, imo.

I think this could be a very viable course of action. It would certainly open up weekend only shows to new corps on a budget that are just looking to get started.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I decided to ask a question of those of us who were around when the stands were full. What could we do to bring back corps fans and alumni who have driven away by the current direction of drum corps which I believe is more about technological achievement as opposed to entertainment or talent.

I get it sir - My Dad #####es and moans all the time about the dancing, prancing, artsy, fartsy, and mostly the electronics. As much as he hates those changes in drum corps he still encouraged me to give it a try and it was the best thing I could have ever done. Imagine his reaction when I said I was trying out for the guard instead of the drumline (I was the center snare in my high school line). Guess what - as much as he despises all that you seem to despise - he still supported me and now we have something to share together for life. Get over it - drum corps has changed and will continue to do so. I bet in a few years there will be stuff I hate about it too but I'll never stop cherishing that he and I do at least one DCI show a year together. To address your actual question: There's nothing "we" can do to change it. Until the talented folks who design drum corps shows decide to go backwards (which they will never do) you just have to get used to it or stop paying attention.

Edited by CQuinn
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When people talk about the bigger crowds from BITD it seems like they often refer to finals.

One thing I do wonder is, as there were more corps back then in prelims in the same place, is it possible that a fair number of that full looking crowd were corps kids from the many corps whose seasons ended one or two nights earlier?

I'm not making a statement about what is better than worse, but as people analyze the situation that does seem to be, if the case, a difference worth considering.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I decided to ask a question of those of us who were around when the stands were full. What could we do to bring back corps fans and alumni who have driven away by the current direction of drum corps which I believe is more about technological achievement as opposed to entertainment or talent.

Competition is the only reason it has changed and grown into something different than what you like. It can step back... but the BOA and USbands high school programs will out perform the corps. Some instances - it is already occuring. High school bands no longer do traditional half time shows either. If you like the traditional halftime... loud and ballsy... pick a few college bands and follow them. That is as close as you will get to "The Way it Was..." that you are talking about.

Edited by Kevin Powell
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen this argument about 1000 times on DCP over the years. Kinda like saying - it's changed because it has to change, so, get over it. Other than the fact there's no way to know if this is true or not, I'm not so sure I agree with it. Because, what is the crowd at a drum corps show - a lot of parents, family, and recent ageouts are there. Whatever path drum corps takes, you'll always have this base attending shows, like any other niche activity. Choral competitions, diving, field hockey games... stuff that's not mainstream but has a following. So, when thinking about "how low can you go" - I think there's an absolute minimum following for dci. How close are we to that? I don't know. I suppose if somebody was really serious about market research of this activity they could figure it out. But I don't think anyone has.

Just this morning I was watching a video of the Ohio St marching band at the 2010 Rose Parade. (and as a Michigan alumnus this was a weird moment). Anyway, they were playing a Sousa march (Stars and Stripes Forever, maybe). And I'm thinking - have they evolved?? Are they surviving? Do they have a loyal following? You bet they do. Some would say they're the best damm band in the land. (obviously crack-heads, but I digress). Yeah, they're the entertainment at the main event, the football game, so maybe they don't "need to" evolve. Or maybe the football audience is too non-musical to realize they shouldn't be enjoying it. What if BD played Channel One Suite 40 years in a row? Yikes.

Anyway, throwing away melody and justifying it by "needing to evolve" is something I haven't bought into yet. I think you can appeal to the audience and evolve at the same time. This is an interesting activity for sure - in a way, at times I get the feeling almost hostile to the paying audience in what they put on the field. Maybe "hostile" is a bad word choice - how about "indifferent." Not sure that's a winning forumula for growing audiences, if that's one of your goals. I'm not even sure that's a goal for dci.

Being a Michigan alum clearly gives me reason to doubt your sanity, but, that said, your observation is spot on. It's what I tried to describe in another thread about the traditions at OSU that the new football coach has now sworn to uphold. Those traditions keep the institution alive. Sure, they do new things every year and they have evolved - slower than the ice age, but they've evolved - and their fan base doesn't falter. It could be that the "dinos" of TBDBITL are now 100, whereas dinos in drum corps are only about 50 and experienced all of drum corps in DCI form.

If TBDBITL had to rely on pleasing only next year's fan as it seems drum corps is wont to do, and they didn't have the football team as a reason to exist, who would join?

Their alums have much more power to retain the traditions because so many of them give money to retain the traditions. Corps alums give money to their corps but seem to demand little in return because their directors seem to constantly drive the activity to forgoing the past in favor of the participants/fans that have yet to join the ranks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get it sir - My Dad #####es and moans all the time about the dancing, prancing, artsy, fartsy, and mostly the electronics. As much as he hates those changes in drum corps he still encouraged me to give it a try and it was the best thing I could have ever done. Imagine his reaction when I said I was trying out for the guard instead of the drumline (I was the center snare in my high school line). Guess what - as much as he despises all that you seem to despise - he still supported me and now we have something to share together for life. Get over it - drum corps has changed and will continue to do so. I bet in a few years there will be stuff I hate about it too but I'll never stop cherishing that he and I do at least one DCI show a year together. To address your actual question: There's nothing "we" can do to change it. Until the talented folks who design drum corps shows decide to go backwards (which they will never do) you just have to get used to it or stop paying attention.

I really appreciate how you cherish your time with your Dad, and I'm glad he supported you in marching. But it sounds as though you would have had those wonderful feelings had you taken up fly fishing, or some other activity he might not enjoy.

Had you done fly fishing instead, and today that activity was using speedboats, drag lines, and bikinis you'd still enjoy the time with your Dad (and I'd still be jealous).

But what about those of use who are there specifically because of what's on the field?

If my son still loves drum corps in 5 years and I can't stand it, I'll probably go just to spend time with him, but I might not go because I enjoy what's on the field.

Big difference, IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When people talk about the bigger crowds from BITD it seems like they often refer to finals.

One thing I do wonder is, as there were more corps back then in prelims in the same place, is it possible that a fair number of that full looking crowd were corps kids from the many corps whose seasons ended one or two nights earlier?

I'm not making a statement about what is better than worse, but as people analyze the situation that does seem to be, if the case, a difference worth considering.

BITD, corps kids were not authorized to sit in the main stands. Most were banished to specific areas not within the 35's. I know some mm's filtered into empty seats, but I've been sitting between the 40's for two decades and I've never seen as many corps kids on the 50 as I do today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Their alums have much more power to retain the traditions because so many of them give money to retain the traditions. Corps alums give money to their corps but seem to demand little in return because their directors seem to constantly drive the activity to forgoing the past in favor of the participants/fans that have yet to join the ranks.

Bingo. Over the weekend we were in Madison, where it was alumni band day. You want to talk about tradition - Mike Leckrone has been the director there since the late '60's!! Their marching band has had a total of TWO directors since the 1930's! They have a huge alumni following who talk with their money, and the band program fully understands and nurtures this relationship. They have tradition upon tradition, and the kids eat it up. Their "stop at the top" marching style is just one. I have no idea how you play while marching like that. But for many years the band was one big reason people attended football games. You may recall how horrible the Wisconsin football program was before Barry Alvarez arrived. Out of this misery was born the "fifth quarter" in which the band plays all sorts of old favorites after the game is over, and many stick around for it. And no one sees the need to "evolve" in order to survive - in fact the opposite appears true.

So, the "need to evolve" thing seems to me to be an excuse made up to explain the constant tinkering and changing (some for the better, some for the worse). I'm thinking if someone thought it might be a good idea to stop doing the stale "script Ohio", because the kids need something more challenging to engage them, you'd probably get run out of town.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really appreciate how you cherish your time with your Dad, and I'm glad he supported you in marching. But it sounds as though you would have had those wonderful feelings had you taken up fly fishing, or some other activity he might not enjoy.

Had you done fly fishing instead, and today that activity was using speedboats, drag lines, and bikinis you'd still enjoy the time with your Dad (and I'd still be jealous).

But what about those of use who are there specifically because of what's on the field?

If my son still loves drum corps in 5 years and I can't stand it, I'll probably go just to spend time with him, but I might not go because I enjoy what's on the field.

Big difference, IMO.

fly fisherman fight over the same junk... bamboo rods have slower action and are handmade. graphite has to fast of an action. Glass rods live half way between. Synthetic flies are cheating only use natural materials. The bikinis can stay... we'll get use to those.

EXCEPT THEIR COMPLAINT IS... to many people on the river compared to not enough in the stands.

Edited by Kevin Powell
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's all about opinions just because something has evolved into something you don't really agree with, doesn't mean it's evolved for the worse.

I suspect there are a lot of vets from the 1960s who look upon 1980s Drum Corps the same way some who marched on the 1980s look upon todays Drum Corps.

You evolve or you die, it applies to all walks of life including Drum Corps.

Mostly it's mutate and die. Evolution is rare. You might adapt, but that line is SO inaccurate about evolution unless you plan on the current mutation dying off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...