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I've been to a few BD rehearsals in recent seasons. I think many people here would be surprised about how much they want to cater to the audience. The staff always has the audience as a central focus of everything they do. While they don't always want the audience to feel "happy" (or some other mushy feeling associated with standing o's and major chords), they do want the audience to feel something. Making the audience experience emotions isn't alway just making them jump to their feet (or using social media to ensure they do for a little GE boost). Regardless of what judges think, I really do think the Blue Devils have the audience as a central focus. On and off the field.

Wow, who peed in your cheerios? Its $.04 they didn't have before. If he buys a $350 garden tiller (it's what was in my mind because I was looking yesterday), they get $1.75. You know what? It all adds up over the course of time. If they make $150 per year, its $150 of supplemental income that they otherwise would not have had.

One person hoped BD's show would not be "esoteric" this year to which another poster claimed BD was wasting its time with DCI audiences. I'm not sure the BD folks would see esoteric as a negative quality, and while I know that Star did great things with Blast!, I saw it back in the day and in more recent variations, and of course on PBS, I'm not sure there would be an audience for BD outside of DCI. Now as far as a Fellini theme for BD, I have heard some who use the term "Felliniesque" to describe things that, at least in my mind do not match Fellini films, probably as a way of sounding intelligent. Usually when it comes to Blue Devils, have to listen to the MP3 recording, watch Fan Network a few times, and see the show live at least twice before I am not scratching my head, but this year I'll skip it and just say it's Felliniesque. Maybe they could do other directors in the future: a Bergman theme where they feel existential angst, a Woody Allen year where they run off with their ex wife's daughter, and a Speilberg year where the corps is silent because John Williams supposedly does not allow his music to be performed by drum corps.

Maybe the best musical analogy would be to the practice, especially found in choral music, of the strophic form versus the through-composed form. Strophic form is the practice of delineating the music into "sections" -- an example of which would be the common church hymn. A "strophic" drum corps show may not employ sections which are repetitions of the same material, but would be formulated on a "Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D (or more) basis. Maybe think of it as being a "Latin Opener, Jazz Ballad, Percussion Feature, Slam-Bang Closer." A piece of music with a through-composed form is NOT based on versal or formal repetition: it's form, instead, consists of a song which finds it's formal basis on a continuing, non-repetitive flow of the music. Basically, beginning "spins," through always changing development, to an ultimate conclusion. Through the history of DCI (especially in the early years), Corps formulated their programs on what could be considered a "Strophic" basis. The Blue Devils, however, have taken a more through-composed attitude to their shows. Point A leads to Point B...which leads to Point C...which leads to Point D. As such, it becomes a form which is based upon it's totality -- not upon a mere assemblage of several disparate sections. Or put in more common terms..."The Whole becomes greater than the Sum of it's Parts." (Edited since I couldn't spell a simple word like "ballad" the first time. Geesh...

Why are you so adverse to corps getting money for free, with no overhead? Sure, the $0.04 from the Cheerios isn't a lot, but do you know what the corps spent to get that $0.04? NOTHING! $1 is always greater than $0. Personally, I spend thousands and thousands on Amazon each year. Amazon Prime has changed my family's shopping habits. Why wouldn't I designate a 501c3? What is the possible downside?

I haven't seen anyone arguing that BD is particularly "innovative," as much as they are "avant garde" with their programming, and that this puts some people off.

A bit ago there was quite a nice topic about Madison's hypothetical introduction of trombones. One of the main "antagonists" (I use that word as being vehemently against trombones and apparently the progression of DCI in general) was FlamMan, an alum of the corps. And here I am yet again on this ridiculous site reading him and other alumni trash about this progression and talk about how disappointed they are. Well on that trombone post I made a nice long comment which seemed to go ignored, and now that a similar "discussion" has arisen, I think it's about time to bring my comment back for these alum to see. To tesmusic and other alums being supporting, THANK YOU MORE PLEASE. And to other alums who think that Drum Corps changing means they can abandon what they learned at the Scouts, YOU SIGNED UP TO BE A BROTHER. MYNWA MEANS FAMILY. FAMILY MEANS NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND OR FORGOTTEN.

Really?? That's your answer to a legitimate question?

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Yea, because keeping drum corps being a neighborhood thing worked with the drop of over 60% from the 70's to the 80's, which by the way was the sharpest drop of any decade in the history of the activity. Yeah, push away the band kids. How did you learn about DCI, mine was my Madison alum band director. So glad this topic is about the 2014 Scouts, seems like yet another thread about the state of the activity, oh wait.

But you'll stick around here to complain. Football and drum corps are nowhere near alike. Drum corps is a niche activity, football has millions of people watching it every Saturday and Sunday

The design team puts a show together for the judges 1st and audience second (just an opinion) They've done the "traditional" show for years- and had had a ton of success. Now the staff that has been together for so long- like any artist, are changing with time.

All right. I'm sorry. I'm putting on the cap and heading to the corner to hang my head.

You are kidding, right? Human nature says that left to yourself... you are definitely in hand. BWAHAHA!!

Too, too funny!!!

usually i start it.

I voted yes, but I would like to qualify my answer. From an organizational standpoint, they do an excellent job. Shows are scheduled broadly to give exposure to a wide audience. DCI events are always organized and if you go to Indy especially, you see how organized and knowledgeable they are. Drum Line Challenge and Soundsport may or may not work, but it's an effort and one that is not costly. As far as the direction of the activity, the corps directors really determine that and the folks employed by DCI make it happen. The directors decide how corps will be judged, what accounts for excellence, use of amplification, instrumentation, etc. So if people either like or dislike the direction of the corps, praise and accuse the corps, not DCI. We also expect DCI to save drum corps, and while I wish it could, poor financial decisions, lack of judgment, or a lack of interest is not the fault of DCI, and quite frankly, if we did not have DCI as an umbrella organization, we probably would not have competitive drum corps today.

I'd support them, because they're my brothers and I'm not an elitist who thinks my generation and the type of horns I played on, or what new rules are passed do not make me love my corps less.

I have to say that BD has been winning me over recently. If you would've told me even 5 years ago (1930) that I'd be looking forward to a Blue Devils show announcement and to see what they do with it on the field, I'd have politely asked you to pass the bong. Not sure why my shift in appreciation. Guess I just see them as the ones doing the best at bringing something legitimately new to an activity where most other corps are just trying to spin the old formula in new ways.

As usual you carefully substitute words to change things to suit your post. The GP suggested (accurately) that you asserted that DCI Judges are as capable as 12 years olds. This is *exactly* what you said--- he did not (nor did anyone other than you) mention *advocating* (which conveniently covers your ###) . Furthermore I find it interesting that you dropped the "experience" from your list of DCI judge missing qualifications (training, education and experience was the full list). Why is that? Because I countered with experience (which you clearly listed in all your OTHER posts). Oops. Lets conveniently cover our ### again !! Finally you completely deleted the body of my post ( conveniently avoiding having to reply to any of the content therein). More ### covering !!! Silliness indeed.

I believe fans will accept most anything IF it is done well, positively contributes to the show, gives the corps a little uniqueness to set the apart from the rest of the field and isn't cloying or talks down to the audience.

I haven't been to this site since last summer, and just saw the announcement. Like a lot of people, excited to see you all doing a jazz show this year. Good luck Scouts and thank you for coming to Denver this year as I'll get to see you live.

Cascades 2003, absolutely outstanding mellophone section that year, and probably the best section in the corps from a technique/musical standpoint in my opinion (for that year).