Some thoughts on 2017

[Fred Windish]

Excellent response!  I share you thoughts on the potential for electronics to HURT more than it helps.

[woodchuck]

  I marched junior and senior late 60's  to 75. Been to most DCI 

Finals since then. My qualifications for commenting are only

as a fan.

   First, IMHO, no one needs the level of amplification that is being used. Was in 236 for prelims. Synth bass from Cadets almost drowned out the hornline, speakers for SCV had looking for

horns where there were none.

    Second, if you think you have to mic soloist,please find a video of Genisis, one of my faves this year.

    Third,   I found it very difficult to understand what

some corps were presenting as a theme. I will admit to not making real effort to find out what they trying to portray, but I'm not sure I should have to.That being said  I do not think it ever affected my appreciation of the talent on the field.

   Thought placements were right, even though they did not all match my preferences. I thought 2017 was of the best shows yet and hope 2018 is even better.

 

                    Woodchuck

 

[Bobby L. Collins]

14 hours ago, luv4corps said:

There were a fair amount of people on the prelims thread who experienced the same in their respective theaters.  Thunderous bass goo to beat all thunderous bass goo.

You should probably steel yourself against being told time and time again on here that no one thinks amplification is too loud, even though you do, and you can plainly read numerous other examples of those who do.  They really try to pretend like it's not a problem here.

[mjoakes]

4 hours ago, Bobby L. Collins said:

You should probably steel yourself against being told time and time again on here that no one thinks amplification is too loud, even though you do, and you can plainly read numerous other examples of those who do.  They really try to pretend like it's not a problem here.

I think there are plenty of us who in various threads have complained about, lamented, or made fun of the amps and electronics. Many like this stuff, many don't. Same for narration, singers, hat-lessness, and most other issues. It's very difficult to accurately generalize anything on DCP.

For me, much of the use of electronics this year was annoying and disappointing. As others have said elsewhere, it feels a bit un-authentic. (I'm not sure I can defend that in a critical thinking sort of way, however. I sometimes wonder if it might be like my asserting sitcoms were better in the 80s and 90s than now.) But I am usually glad when soloists use mics. Not a big fan of narration. But it worked for me in the Cavies show; I found it lame in the Blue Stars show.

[mjoakes]

21 hours ago, kdaddy said:

I enjoyed 2017 quite a bit, but I'd say not as much as 2016. Thinking about individual corps and which of the two years I preferred more...

BD: 16
SCV: 17
Crown: 16 (by far)
Bluecoats: essentially equal
Cavaliers: essentially equal
Boston: 17
Cadets: 16, I think
Blue Knights: 16
Phantom Regiment: 17 (by far)
Blue Stars: 16
Xmen: essentially equal
Madison: 16 (by far)
Academy: 16
Colts: 17

I like this game.

• BD: 17 (by far). I can't remember 16, something about an ocean and the Santa Maria?
• SCV: 17. I liked the 16 show a lot, too.
• Crown: 16 (by far). The most disappointing show for me in 17.
• The Cavaliers: 16, but a tough call to make alongside 17.
• Bluecoats: 16. Liked 17 a lot, too. 16 was just fresher and more surprising.
• Boston: 17. Nothing comes to mind about the 16 show, except that they beat Madison.
• The Cadets: My least favorite shows both years. Very much respect the performances.
• Blue Knights: 17. Beautiful total package this year. I only remember a bunch of mirrors from 16.
• Phantom: Maybe 16. Like Cadets, I didn't enjoy Phantom much either year.
• Blue Stars: 17. One of my favorites for the music, not so much for the prancing and couples idea. And 17 handily beats the lamps and lamp lady from 16.
• Crossmen: 17. Meditation all summer helped me watch this show in LOS without actually seeing the props. Good marching, good music, great uniforms.
• Madison Scouts: 17 (by far). Not a popular show among DCP folks, but I liked it a lot. Glad they broke some chains anchoring them to the past.
• Mandarins: 17 (by far). I have a prop problem, and it influenced how I think about the 16 show.
• The Academy: 16 (by far). 17 seems like it had all the right things pulled together. It just didn't bite me like 16 did. I can't explain why.

That's 8 for 2017, 4 for 2016, and 2 mehs. I followed the activity closely at multiple live shows in 2015, 2016, and 2017. For me, 2017 was a very good year. Lots of diversity.

[Lead]

On 8/19/2017 at 5:33 PM, Cappybara said:

Unfortunate that such a positive and insightful post went largely ignored except for one poster who hates anything and everything about modern drum corps. 

The funny thing is, judging by his signature, he is a member of the modern era of drum corps being from the late 90s.

[Bobby L. Collins]

6 minutes ago, Lead said:

The funny thing is, judging by his signature, he is a member of the modern era of drum corps being from the late 90s.

And that's where your logic fails.  The era in which someone marched has little to no bearing on what they prefer to see and hear on the field.  At least not among vets with a shred of brains.  That said, I realize where I'm posting, so I'm not incredibly insistent upon understanding.

I enjoy 1972 every bit as much as I enjoy 1999, and every year in between.  There are even some post-bugle productions I find terrific...right up to 2005.  At that point, after drum corps decided to "naturally evolve" overnight at the behest of one man's ego, I can count on one hand the number of productions I can even stomach to watch all the way through after an initial viewing.  Certainly some isolated good tunes performed well, and a few good drill maneuvers, but the total package has been sacrificed for pandering to WGI and BOA.  That crap isn't growing on me, and I'm not about to lower my standards and expectations like many of you have done in order to "appreciate" it.  I stand behind my convictions, and I sleep better at night for not having become a sellout.

This forum is not exclusively host to "positive" posts.  You're going to have to come to terms with the fact that there are thousands of vets and fans who abhor what the activity has become, along with what so-called supporters have ALLOWED it to become, and that not all of us have given up on expressing our displeasure to the ones who could do something about it just as quickly as George Hopkins torpedoed it.  And they're here reading.  So by God they'll read both sides of the story.......not just the one you want them to read.

[Cappybara]

32 minutes ago, Bobby L. Collins said:

And that's where your logic fails.  The era in which someone marched has little to no bearing on what they prefer to see and hear on the field.  At least not among vets with a shred of brains.  That said, I realize where I'm posting, so I'm not incredibly insistent upon understanding.

I enjoy 1972 every bit as much as I enjoy 1999, and every year in between.  There are even some post-bugle productions I find terrific...right up to 2005.  At that point, after drum corps decided to "naturally evolve" overnight at the behest of one man's ego, I can count on one hand the number of productions I can even stomach to watch all the way through after an initial viewing.  Certainly some isolated good tunes performed well, and a few good drill maneuvers, but the total package has been sacrificed for pandering to WGI and BOA.  That crap isn't growing on me, and I'm not about to lower my standards and expectations like many of you have done in order to "appreciate" it.  I stand behind my convictions, and I sleep better at night for not having become a sellout.

This forum is not exclusively host to "positive" posts.  You're going to have to come to terms with the fact that there are thousands of vets and fans who abhor what the activity has become, along with what so-called supporters have ALLOWED it to become, and that not all of us have given up on expressing our displeasure to the ones who could do something about it just as quickly as George Hopkins torpedoed it.  And they're here reading.  So by God they'll read both sides of the story.......not just the one you want them to read.

If we still had bugles 

1. There probably wouldn't be many corps left other than the most financially sound of the top 12

2. We wouldn't have the wonderful intonation that we have today. 

 

I like shows from both the 80's and 90's as well as the post 2000's. I prefer the modern era's quality of shows. It is a little sad that how well you sleep is based on something as trivial as whether drum corps is the same as it was in the pre-2000's, but that's your prerogative. 

Just know, your opinion that today's corps are putting out inferior products compared to the older era's corps is just that, your opinion. No need to attempt to display it as a fact. 

 

Btw if you think Old Hoppy is the sole reason why drum corps is the amazing thing that it is today, you may want to brush up on your history a little. It was a joint effort. 

Edited August 21, 2017 by Cappybara
Typo

[Brass Lover]

27 minutes ago, Bobby L. Collins said:

And that's where your logic fails.  The era in which someone marched has little to no bearing on what they prefer to see and hear on the field.  At least not among vets with a shred of brains.  That said, I realize where I'm posting, so I'm not incredibly insistent upon understanding.

I enjoy 1972 every bit as much as I enjoy 1999, and every year in between.  There are even some post-bugle productions I find terrific...right up to 2005.  At that point, after drum corps decided to "naturally evolve" overnight at the behest of one man's ego, I can count on one hand the number of productions I can even stomach to watch all the way through after an initial viewing.  Certainly some isolated good tunes performed well, and a few good drill maneuvers, but the total package has been sacrificed for pandering to WGI and BOA.  That crap isn't growing on me, and I'm not about to lower my standards and expectations like many of you have done in order to "appreciate" it.  I stand behind my convictions, and I sleep better at night for not having become a sellout.

This forum is not exclusively host to "positive" posts.  You're going to have to come to terms with the fact that there are thousands of vets and fans who abhor what the activity has become, along with what so-called supporters have ALLOWED it to become, and that not all of us have given up on expressing our displeasure to the ones who could do something about it just as quickly as George Hopkins torpedoed it.  And they're here reading.  So by God they'll read both sides of the story.......not just the one you want them to read.

And you're going to have to come to terms with the fact that DCI has had continuously record breaking sales lately with tens of thousands of people who can't get enough. Write as many posts as you want, things aren't going back.

[Bobby L. Collins]

2 minutes ago, Brass Lover said:

And you're going to have to come to terms with the fact that DCI has had continuously record breaking sales lately with tens of thousands of people who can't get enough. 

But for how much longer?

Too many changes for the sake of simply changing.  None warranted, and none cost-efficient.