Ohio State University

[leadsop04]

1985 Star of Indiana made finals with a walking stick figure... and 3D box rotation 27 years before Crown. All hail GZ!!

If a drum corps did a move like the moon-walking MJ, does anyone think it would score well in DCI? I'm not saying do the same visual book as tOSU Marching Band, but if it were typically awesome DCI visual design, with the moon-walk instead of, maybe, a company front or a park & blow, could this be scored well on DCI sheets? I think audiences would dig this sort of move: would judges?

Edited October 28, 2013 by leadsop04

[MikeD]

 

...and more press for this type of show.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/showusat.php?id=3280517

Does anyone thing that some corps designers could take some ideas from this show, up the sophistication level a bit, and incorporate it into a good drum corps shows?

A guy at my gym this morning came up to me and asked if I saw the latest OSU band video. They are making a name for themselves, for sure.

[mingusmonk]

For those that want to be informed but would rather spend there time doing other things than risk falling a sleep at your desk, here is the entire 8 + minute show in 11 seconds. Thanks to Deadspin for the huge favor.

[N.E. Brigand]

For those that want to be informed but would rather spend their time doing other things than risk falling asleep at your desk, here is the entire 8+ minute show in 11 seconds. Thanks to Deadspin for the huge favor.

Thanks! I haven't watched the full show yet. I'd love to hear more from those who find these very popular shows to be boring about why they feel that way.

[Peel Paint]

Even though I'm a huge OSU and OSUMB fan, I have to admit I'm baffled by the attention they're getting this year. Last Saturday's show was just featured on a local newscast nowhere near Columbus with the newscasters smiling and saying how great it is. They've been featured on the front page of YouTube all season long. In design these are old-school marching band shows. This is the kind of stuff--okay minus the pyrotechnics--that was done back in the 60s, and people are falling over themselves to say how great it is.

But we mock this at our peril. When did the last DCI championship show get featured on YouTube with 20,000,000 views and over a million thumbs up? What DCI show kept people in their seats and roaring during halftime of a football game? Are you kidding me? We were much more of a draw when the shows were entertaining and easier to follow the first time through. DCI shows are WAY TOO COMPLICATED to entertain most people. Most people are chloroformed by 20-second snippets of pieces of music they've never heard before and are unmemorable even if you've played them in an ensemble. People don't care about abstract show design concepts. They'd rather have a good time than be impressed. You want to sell tickets, think Jersey Surf 2012, not Blue Devils last decade.

[perc2100]

While it's cool to see my University get appreciation, it's really nice to see ANY scholastic marching band get national attention for their work, show design, etc. Here's a nice little article on Fox Sports about tOSU Marching Band's most recent show showering high praise on the band & its staff

[Lincoln]

But we mock this at our peril. When did the last DCI championship show get featured on YouTube with 20,000,000 views and over a million thumbs up? What DCI show kept people in their seats and roaring during halftime of a football game? Are you kidding me? We were much more of a draw when the shows were entertaining and easier to follow the first time through. DCI shows are WAY TOO COMPLICATED to entertain most people. Most people are chloroformed by 20-second snippets of pieces of music they've never heard before and are unmemorable even if you've played them in an ensemble. People don't care about abstract show design concepts. They'd rather have a good time than be impressed. You want to sell tickets, think Jersey Surf 2012, not Blue Devils last decade.

I think the OSU shows are fun. The fact they learn multiple shows a season is quite something.

One thing...the crowd is there for the football. They aren't there for the band. The fact they cheer for the band is great because the band is good, but it's not a band show. How many people in the stands are actually listening to the arrangements, the intonation or are watching the marching? How many understand that it's not a piece of cake to pump out shows like this? I'd say very few. They like the pretty pictures. They recognize the dinosaur, Superman, Harry Potter and the Pirate ships. The media showing these shows are catering to the same crowd. It's also interesting that the same media who are showing OSU, just over a month ago featured news snippets of that high school band with the tuba mashup.

Now ask the same crowd cheering at the football game...Would you like to go to a show that only features bands? Crickets.

Edited October 28, 2013 by LincolnV

[Peel Paint]

I think the OSU shows are fun. The fact they learn multiple shows a season is quite something.

One thing...the crowd is there for the football. They aren't there for the band. The fact they cheer for the band is great because the band is good, but it's not a band show. How many people in the stands are actually listening to the arrangements, the intonation or are watching the marching? How many understand that it's not a piece of cake to pump out shows like this? I'd say very few. They like the pretty pictures. They recognize the dinosaur, Superman, Harry Potter and the Pirate ships. The media showing these shows are catering to the same crowd. It's also interesting that the same media who are showing OSU, just over a month ago featured news snippets of that high school band with the tuba mashup.

Now ask the same crowd cheering at the football game...Would you like to go to a show that only features bands? Crickets.

Of course. And if that game had been played at Penn State with that show on the field: crickets. Or brickbats. But don't miss the point. The drum corps fans who deeply regret that it's so hard to get attention for this activity--not on TV anymore, no buzz, etc.--fail to recognize that the designs that appeal to them turn off 99%+ of the world. It's just not an entertaining product except for a niche crowd that may be too small to sustain it.

[N.E. Brigand]

On a side note: there's a lot of John Williams in that show. Given OSU's unusual instrumentation, it can't be stock arrangements. I thought bands and corps couldn't otherwise license Williams's music.

[mingusmonk]

Thanks! I haven't watched the full show yet. I'd love to hear more from those who find these very popular shows to be boring about why they feel that way.

Sitting and watching that by myself would be akin to sitting and reading Goodnight Moon for 10 minutes. Goodnight Moon is great for what it is intended to be ... a children's book. Not exactly drawing in an experienced, high-volume adult reader is it?

...

But we mock this at our peril. When did the last DCI championship show get featured on YouTube with 20,000,000 views and over a million thumbs up? What DCI show kept people in their seats and roaring during halftime of a football game? Are you kidding me? We were much more of a draw when the shows were entertaining and easier to follow the first time through. DCI shows are WAY TOO COMPLICATED to entertain most people. Most people are chloroformed by 20-second snippets of pieces of music they've never heard before and are unmemorable even if you've played them in an ensemble. People don't care about abstract show design concepts. They'd rather have a good time than be impressed. You want to sell tickets, think Jersey Surf 2012, not Blue Devils last decade.

I don't see many people mocking. It's a different product, plain an simple. Almost entirely. The goals are entirely different. The constant comparison around these parts is unnecessary.

To your final point, if Jersey Surf executed similarly to BD, and at the same level of demand as BD, I am certain that they would be top 3. It would be great to see a stalwart medalist corps with the guts to develop a entirely crowd-focused show, while retaining their demand and excellence. But make no mistake, there are people that are in it for the excellence. They won't be interested in swapping Saturday finals night for what we see/hear above either. Ramp up the demand, really ramp up the execution. The design would need more depth as well. I believe you could maintain "fun" and still put more layers and depth into the "fun" product.

Of course. And if that game had been played at Penn State with that show on the field: crickets. Or brickbats. But don't miss the point. The drum corps fans who deeply regret that it's so hard to get attention for this activity--not on TV anymore, no buzz, etc.--fail to recognize that the designs that appeal to them turn off 99%+ of the world. It's just not an entertaining product except for a niche crowd that may be too small to sustain it.

What level of general public attention did it get before? Would you say that drum corps was, at one time, a national mainstream activity?

Edited October 28, 2013 by mingusmonk