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That seems to be the crux of it. It's not something you've experienced. Staff members still put in the long days in hot weather perfecting a product just as much as the kids do. Especially when they have to co-ordinate full sections or even full captions. So seeing the end product after 70~ days of hard work, they deserve to show that emotion and enjoy the final product. I'm sorry that it annoys you, but the staff should get to have emotions at Finals like everyone else.

I'd like to see more emotion demonstrated by the fans in the stands to shows. Thats more of an issue of late than staff showing animated, honest emotion, down around the track below during and / or after their Corps performances. Heck, even George Hopkins of the Cadets himself is on public record as stating that DCI audiences in his view are not as enthusiastic at shows for the DCI Corps performance as they once were. So while this thread topic is interesting regarding staffs display of emotion at shows, its not the more relevent issue that George Hopkins ( and others ) have been noticing of late regarding this topic issue of the level of emotion on display and witnessed at DCI shows.

This is true. Have respect for the people around you. Some shows do have marked out staff zones, I seem to remember the regionals in San Antonio and Atlanta had zones at the top of the first deck. But most local shows don't, so it's either hang out on the track in case you have to help push stuff off, or try and find some open space to watch. There are moments in shows though that staff know hasn't been clicking, and then finally does at the show. It should be fine to show emotion and cheer at the big moments. Maybe that's a problem with the larger audience as has been alluded to, or maybe we should just try and keep it in.

I add to the insights of Garfield and Brasso with the addition of the term "corps availability in light of practice days." Watch before each DCI regional how many of the usual top 10 suddenly drop out of the schedule for a few days in order to go into mid-season camps. Changes and adjustments are made to the show, and voila, they appear with a new presentation at the Regionals. Before San Antonio, before Atlanta, and sometimes before Allentown. Blue Devils almost always "camp" finals' week. I am confident that Gibbs, Hopkins, Coates, Fiedler, and kin don't just let the dart board in the DCI front office randomly give them a week; I am confident that they demand it and when they want it.

Good answer... I will add to the mix that show sponsors have to also determine how much upfront guarantee money they are willing to provide to the Corps. And of course, if a Corps travel takes them into that geographical region, the show spponsor has to determine if that Corps guarantee is worth it to them, or should they forego that Corps for another lesser appealing Corps, whose guarantee appearance fee for that sponsor might be considerably less ( with less fans to possibly show up as a deal... that they still might be willing to risk ) One look at all the DCI local shows, and its clear the lineups in attractiveneess and appeal ( as well as the number of Corps appearing in these local shows ) vary quite a bit in some cases. Thats because the local sponsors do have some say in the decision making at what they are prepared to pay in upfront appearance guarantees.

yup, as the prices have gone up, the fans have become more snooty and demanding. Many are spectators (literally) rather than rabid fans; the show is their only in person viewing for most; corps have to be spot on (Box 6) to get their adulation. Watching the FN is much more a cerebral and private response so the crowd is unaccustomed with becoming visceral in affirmation. On the other hand, the venues along the tour are larger, thus the golf clap isn't heard, the thumping sounds like a golf clap, and the rabid diehearts are watching from the heavens more and more. Gone are the days when for instance, the Regiment phamilies showered the field (not phield) with rolls of toilet paper for the end of 1812, the crowd sang Amen with Garfield, and many danced in the aisles with Bridgemen and Velvet Knights.. It is what made Jersey Surf's bananas so special a few seasons back. Now many mimic the extra-terrestrial floating silence that Carolina Crown manifested for us in Out of this World. Some will blame the show designs and designers. But that is all for another thread.

Dang, I hate when that happens.

Bring your Windex!

And so the 81st season begins! #Cadets15 #X pic.twitter.com/RCgMj43tZr FHNSAB

I really do appreciate the fine quality of your tin-foil hat, but I think you're directing your angst in the wrong direction. Because DCI has apparently been able to provide ample and expected opportunities for all corps to compete and perform, it would be a hard case to make that some corps are being cheated. While the tour is a few shows shorter, there are fewer corps to divide shows among, too, On nights of TOC shows, there are other shows going on around the country. For instance, if Scouts and 'Coats agree to travel together, I'm sure DCI schedules Scouts to go "this" direction to be the headliner for "that" show, while the send 'Coats to the TOC show. Scouts get paid as always, even as the TOC show happens in the next state over. Corps don't compete for money at non-DCI shows. They get paid a per-diem fee for performing that is calculated based on last-year's placement. It would be hard to argue that last year's placement of a non-Seven corps was hindered by them being excluded from TOC shows. So, if you don't want to throw away your hat, re-direct your theory to placement instead of performance location. Find a way to prove that the Seven conspired to affect judge's placement to assure their highest portion of the DCI payout and of next year's performance fees. (dunh-dunh-duhhhhhhhh) The contention that TOC shows have unfairly treated non-Seven corps is a skinny chicken, IMO

I'm not privy to all of the details, but I can provide some insight. DCI contacts TEP's right after August and gets indications of who plans to have a show the following year. DCI surely adjusts this group for new locations and spends several weeks firming up "maybe Yes" TEP's. As the TEP's are lining up, I suspect DCI is also collecting "unusual" tour requests from corps like going cross-country or starting their tour in a different location or time. I know corps can be asked to go a particular direction or DCI can see to it that two corps travel together. Corps also have requests like housing with stadiums, or avoiding locations they didn't find satisfactory in the past (I'm sure that DCI works very hard at making sure housing provided is adequate for corps needs). Somehow through a mish-mash of information flow between TEP's, venues, and corps tour supervisors, directors, and Boards of Directors, in the course of about 60 days, DCI informs each TEP which corps will be performing at which shows, sends out contracts for signature, and makes the announcement when ready. At that point the tour is set unless something unforseen happens like a TEP dropping out or a special request or change from a director, or a venue conflict. TEP's are generally dissuaded from contacting corps directly to request attendance, and the corps that DCI assigns to a show are non-negotiable, while they retain the right to make changes to adjust to a tour problem.

Regiment's shows are becoming as theme predictable as Pioneer's.

92 Glassmen / THREAD (Someone had to do it!)

Fair enough. I don't think you were too horrible or anything, I just wanted to better understand WHY. Thanks for explaining! My opinion is that some changes are good, others are bad. Some will like them, other people will not, and a third group won't care one way or the other. I still would prefer the different circuits to be as distinct as possible, but realize that there's limited resources and talent in designers. Some things will work in various circuits, but not everything. I guess that means sometimes we gotta try certain ideas in each circuit even though we believe that they may not work.. The problem that "I" sometimes have is that I don't always agree on what doesn't work in a specific venue. Another thing is that when a design element is found to not work, it is sometimes repeated over and over for whatever reason and still scores well from what I can see.

Interesting take on the stage situation....I speculate that a few of the on-field judges (particularly percussion) had a much less favorable view of the stage and how it hampered their ability to get back and forth from pit to battery...in reality, among the top 5 corps, the Cadets battery was featured least, especially in proximity to the front of the field...they were killing it 40-50 yards away....a shame considering the musical licks being delivered on the back side.

You have just laid out the premise of a best-seller on the basic maleficence of the corporate culture which I propose you title "Wall Street and the Death of the Social Contract" - how the soul-sucking ba$tards won - You will, of course need to form a company to distribute and market the book. Then there are the lecture tour, talk show circuit appearances, (Charlie Rose, Kimmel, Maher...etc.), and the readings (from an I-Pad, natch, since it's pointless to print anything anymore which is why the "book" will exist only in digital form). It will be downloaded direct from Amazon...whose shares are up again now that they made that tax deal with the Feds. Their shareholders will be happy, you will get your cut and "voila!", you have been co-opted and swallowed by the self-same villians you skewered, thereby exquisitely proving the point your sub-title so succinctly makes. Resistance is futile. Stop worrying and learn to love the bomb. Ka-Boom! (Antidote for the above: a daily dose of Kurt Vonnegut with a side of Arban's Carnival of Venice Variations.) Aside to Nancy: We really do need a new photo here before we slip down any more of these rabbit holes. I'll see what's lurking in my files.

Phantom 2010! White on white on white on white.

holly molly maybe we should let the DESIGN hit the field before we start drawing conclusions... For me the basis of the show has been explained as aggressive/dark/fast music with high-speed drill and they have said to expect a non-literal interpretation - no narration, no "story" The "Ten" thing is just a play on the composition and maybe just a little bit on the ten world championships cadets have had - another "layer" No more or less meaningful than titling, or round tarps as "planets" etc etc... Anyway - it's just a design layer. Probably will go completely unnoticed by most in the audience, and at this point it's frankly just an IDEA. G.

I always kinda like watching the vids to watch the staff go nuts at certain times....kinda missed that in 86, when you couldn't see them. They put just as much work into the shows as the performers do...and finals night is the last time those shows will ever be performed (semis for some corps). They've done all the can...at that point, they ARE just spectators. Yes, they should stay down on the field for their corps...but we should require them to be unemotional robots??? No thanks...I say let them react like human beings. I think I'll go watch Star's 1990 staff now...always fun.

Modern Imagination was PR at it's best!