Icer Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 6 minutes ago, HockeyDad said: They're not moving away from traditional drum and bugle roots to broaden appeal. They're doing it to try to get a competitive advantage or dare I say win. Are you claiming there is now broader appeal? I think there is broader appeal, and I can give you three anecdotes to support this: 1. The number of people with a high degree of familiarity with multiple corps seems to be growing (especially with young people), and it's not restricted to people who marched in the corps. I think that Flo-Marching and YouTube are two big contributing factors, because it makes the shows accessible to anyone involved in marching music. 2. The feel of the events is changing. As recently as 5 years ago, events seemed to me to be attracting almost exclusively hard core fans plus parents and some high school band kids with aspirations of marching in a corps. In Nashville, Winston Salem and Chester, watching the crowds before heading into the venue, it had had a rock concert feel to more than a drum and bugle corps show. 3. Just this week, someone who I know that was never at a drum corps event before, and does not even play an instrument, was familiar with the Blue Devils. I was completely surprised. We took this person to a show, and he absolutely loved it - especially BD, but Cadets as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 19 minutes ago, Icer said: I think there is broader appeal, and I can give you three anecdotes to support this: 1. The number of people with a high degree of familiarity with multiple corps seems to be growing (especially with young people), and it's not restricted to people who marched in the corps. I think that Flo-Marching and YouTube are two big contributing factors, because it makes the shows accessible to anyone involved in marching music. 2. The feel of the events is changing. As recently as 5 years ago, events seemed to me to be attracting almost exclusively hard core fans plus parents and some high school band kids with aspirations of marching in a corps. In Nashville, Winston Salem and Chester, watching the crowds before heading into the venue, it had had a rock concert feel to more than a drum and bugle corps show. 3. Just this week, someone who I know that was never at a drum corps event before, and does not even play an instrument, was familiar with the Blue Devils. I was completely surprised. We took this person to a show, and he absolutely loved it - especially BD, but Cadets as well. I understand what you're saying. To your first point, however, YouTube and Flo definitely help in marketing. But they would equally market the product regardless of whether there was singing, narration, electronics, sampling etc. Regarding your second point, you're certainly right. The feel of the product has certainly changed. I haven't noticed much change in the makeup of the crowds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRapp Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 3 minutes ago, HockeyDad said: I understand what you're saying. To your first point, however, YouTube and Flo definitely help in marketing. But they would equally market the product regardless of whether there was singing, narration, electronics, sampling etc. Regarding your second point, you're certainly right. The feel of the product has certainly changed. I haven't noticed much change in the makeup of the crowds. I would say the growing prominence of guard, coupled with the expanding show concepts and props, is definitely broadening the "spectacle" aspect of the activity. YouTube definitely helps get these shows to places they would otherwise never go. Just this past week I showed Down Side Up to a fellow employee at my healthcare employer, and she was utterly shocked and blown away. She will likely never go to a show but she is certainly a fan now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicManNJ Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 19 minutes ago, HockeyDad said: I haven't noticed much change in the makeup of the crowds. They are larger... many shows, and certainly the large ones, have had record turn out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ediker Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 On 8/5/2017 at 4:29 PM, LabMaster said: Not sure that it means anything. Lentz was judging in SA. There was some controversy with some of his assessments. Now he's not judging and has supposedly recently helped at Cadets. Who is the Lentz slated to judge VA in Massillon tomorrow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRapp Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 55 minutes ago, MusicManNJ said: They are larger... many shows, and certainly the large ones, have had record turn out. I know there are quite a few world class alums teaching high school bands in Nashville and that definitely has an impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabMaster Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 47 minutes ago, Ediker said: Who is the Lentz slated to judge VA in Massillon tomorrow? Probably the same Lentz who is helping Cadets? Hmm, if that's the same one, I wonder why he is no longer judging? It would be odd to give it up during the season I would tbink. Maybe he got an offer too good to pass up. If it's the same guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcikon2 Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Did the Cadets have a rough night? I noticed their score dropped .9 over Allentown. I also noticed a couple of the sub-captions are hurting the corps right now. These scores don't appear to be changing much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corps8294 Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 (edited) Wow! When was the last time the Blue Stars beat the Cadets (Garfield Cadets) in any caption? Probably have to go back to the '70s for that! Edited August 7, 2017 by corps8294 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shewhois Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 (edited) 3 minutes ago, corps8294 said: Wow! When was the last time the Blue Stars beat the Cadets (Garfield Cadets) in any caption? Probably have to go back to the '70s for that! The tour premiere they beat Cadets in drums. Also, an (edit: GE) judge that gave them an 18.8 last night gave them an 18 tonight. Rough night apparently, it happens. Move on, get better. Edited August 7, 2017 by Shewhois Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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