prodigal bari
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Posts posted by prodigal bari
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and....those corps expenses do not go down, as they still have to travel and feed the kids . and most likely pay for housing
Which begs another question..actually several:
1. What happens to the 'non-profit youth organization' tag that DC depends on in order to keep its costs down..especially with the new taxes on business that our government will be leving starting in '11? (It is an assumption that there is a profit motive by these G7 groups by emperical evidence.) How will they make-up for the loss of perks normally allowed for the 'non-profits'?
2. Will schools willingly allow these new groups to use the 'housing du jour' that DC's depended on for so many decades for their now semi-professional groups?
3. Would any student in their right minds pay 2-3K (or parents shell it out) to volunteer to perform in this new endeavour-especially with the potential change in the type of organization? (Do not discount the lure of competition..just look at pre-season NFL attendance vs. competitive season numbers...)
4. How do these groups in the G7 anticipate bein able to maintain sponsorships, draw crowds, and profit in this economic environment...especially with so many questions as to what conditions will be 12 months from now? (My business background tells me this is a BAD time to start-up a brand-new business..)
Artistic product aside...is this a wise move in terms of raw business sense???? Have we got another example of the artistic and the egotistic running amuck over business and common sense???? IMHO; I think not.
(Not to say that this would not affect DCI corps either...and that there are not any needs to adjust their business/operations model, either...)
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I'm going to do this review, and not include anything about the shows or corps...because that'd be irrelevant and take too much time.
I had the chance to sit on the field and watch all 25 corps all day long. It was a great experience. I guess these reviews are intended to let other fans know how the show went, mainly referring to the venue, show operations...etc.
I didn't go many places, other than the field. I've been attending the Atlanta show since 2006, and have only observed one problem over these years, especially last night. The "marketplace" as they call it, tends to get very crowded. I remember this being a problem in years before, but last night it was really bad. I know there's probably not any way to fix this problem, because we can't just expand the dome for the souvie tables. I really can't find the reason to complain too much about this, because everything about this show has always been great!
I hope DCI plans to return to the Dome for many years, because it really is a great venue for Drum Corps.
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your a parent of a members corps that lost
This is an example of classlessness. I will just leave it at that....
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Lord No! BD's brass sounds like my old middle school band
haha ...and really who cares what Maynard thinks....it's what I think....right?
Hey, have some respect for the dead!!!!
(Maynard, that is...RIP, dear frat brother...)
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But on the other hand, why waste time on a temporary ending? Why not use that rehearsal time to instead learn the actual ending, but not perform it until it's at an acceptable level as the rest of the show (if that's what the corps chooses to do; they could always perform it once it's learned, even if it's still not clean at all).
I do not have a problem with them not performing what they do not want to..or not feel ready to...but there has to be at some point a level playing field of expectations insofar as judging is concerned. That is why there are timing standards....without them; you would have a very unlevel playing field of corps trying to get an undue competitive advantage by using increasingly short shows.
Everyone has the same time on the calendar to put a show together...make EVERYONE play by the same rules; and let the chips fall where they may. Otherwise, it turns competition into a farce.
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Blue Devils
Crown
Cadets
Vanguard
Cavaliers
Boston
Bluecoats
Phantom
Blue Stars
Blue Knights
Scouts
Glassmen
Troopers
Crossmen
Academy
Colts
Spirit
Pacific Crest
Surf
Mandarins
Cascades
Teal Sound
Pioneer
Madison?
There are a couple of caveats in the listings I am seeing here.
1. Resetting the judging panels (particularly east of the Mississippi) to the full panels will give us a clearer picture of some of the corps. The first major show with all corps will really set the table.
2. Will Madison's show carry water throuought the entire season? I would LOVE to see them in the Top-12, and they are clearly showing some testicular fortitude in their programing; but I am concerned that the content of the show may not wash with current expectations in the activity.
3. Conversely, can Troopers clean the monster that they have taken into their house? If they can, and IF the judges will give them credit for it; then they can go as far as 11th or 10th...or they could be shut out of Semis. I see this as either/or; without any gray area. (I am concerned about the early season holes...late arrrivals aside, I thought they had this problem solved over there!)
4. I truly think the top-5 are a toss-up that this point. I have rarely seen a season where the scoring is this close in the top slots. (BD, Cadets, Crown in particular...)
In short...this may be the most competitive season I have seen since 1980...
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I think the solution is simple...all corps must have the full minimum timing on the field for the first show; or face timing penalties, as it used to be. I do not understand cutting this much slack on this and opening an unfair competitive advantage early to those who march short shows..and setting the precedent for short early shows. I do not have a problem with corps marching temporary endings; just let the chips fall where they may according to the products' merits.
Competitve tactics and pacing the development of the show is fine...and is nothing that hasn't been done before; but the corps need to have a full show of some sort on the field when they perform; and if they want to add or change what they have, then that is fine too! Just get rid of the slack judging rules that allow these short shows to have an advantage, and let the products speak for themselves AT THE TIME IT IS PERFORMED.
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Come again ? Troopers went head to head with Madison Scouts last year 12 times before the Semi's... beat them all 12 times.... by an average of over 2 points each time. Troopers went head to head with Crossmen 4 times before last year's Semi's... beat Crossmen all 4 times.... by an average of over 3 points, and in the quarters by over 4 points.
So you're saying that if these Corps got just one more bite at the apple last year they would have beaten the Troopers at Semi's to put the Troopers in " 17th " ?
What was the heat index where you were when you typed this above ? Maybe you were just dehydrated a bit when you typed that the Troopers wern't a top 16 Corps last season.
PLUS the fact that these panels had different people on them every time....consipiracy?? Don't think so....
Suggest that MisterA drop this little rant of his, kick back and have a beer (if he's legal, that is..)...before he proves out what the 'A' in his signature stands for...
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Is the band director at UT Martin still Nola Jones? (She has judged numerous DCI shows, including Nationals..and is a class act.)
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Aaahhhh, very cool!
In the one pic I saw of the corps on the field you do not notice the short sleeves at all. THIS is the look for Madison!!!! Very clean from top (not sure how the spats will work with modern visual, though..) yet identifiable...and even iconic.
It is difficult to get iconic with the organic move in uniforming these days. The need to maximize both physical movement and visual impact in a competitive arena always draws toward uniformity-due-to-necessity. Just take a look at the Sprint Cup cars, for example...the only way to make them aerodynamically equal is to make them exactly alike...and use decals for identification! Same thing is happening here in DC.
Call me a dinosaur, but I don't care for the trend...
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I'm sorry, but I do not like the Troopers uniform even a little bit. A huge step backward in my opinion.
I agree...it frankly looks like it came off-the-rack from a stock uniform and had the accesories put on. Not iconic at all...and not befitting the corps. I would rather have the jumpsuits of the last three years.
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Actually, during Phantom's ballad, there was a quiet moment when a semi-trailer came rolling through and "beep beeeeeeep" really ruined the moment. It was a moment where many people started laughing because of it (but not as many people laughed as did for the "singing" of the National Anthem). I can tell you, that was the worst rendition I have ever heard. Somebody was holding up their cell phone recording it, too.
ACTUALLY...the worse one I have heard was the one for the Masters' show that was moved to TN Tech in '06..the performer made many pitch errors, and was READING THE WORDS FROM A NOTE CARD!!!!
What was even worse, he was the VOCAL TEACHER at the university!!! (Hopefully, the word 'was' being the key here...)
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Go to DCA then. If you ever decide to come back, DCI will still be here... with or without you.
I wonder if this is what the VFW/AL folks said in 1971 about DCI...
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At my present age and physical condition, no. It would KILL me
Seriously, if I was a college student right now (and bluntly, in a little better condition than I was in the early 80's) I might consider it, if I had the cash. That is the big consideration..it is much more expensive than it was back then, and though the participants are better cared-for I am not sure I could justify it.
However, the activity has changed. A previous poster has stated that in the 70's-80's DC had a wider visibility and a broader base of fans. It is now a niche activity (and IMHO, in danger from the elitists of being destroyed if this G7 idea is brought to fruition. Another subject...) and unless you are interested in the area of the niche that your available corps is cultivating, then you may not have much interest. That is where I would have an issue.
It is also VERY physical. I don't think I could do what those performers do now even at 20...it is just a different kind of animal.
At my present age...Not interested. I have other things that are way more important than DC (wife, kids, job, my sanity...) that I must attend to first. That is the calling of the adult. If you can fit it into your life without sacrificing the true priorities, then more power to you. I love keeping up with the activity, but I have moved on insofar as my participation as a member (even in all-age). To me, that is for youth...and I am not young anymore.
Nor do I desire to be....
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Come on people. Really? You may like the other 16 corps, but they do not bring in the money. The only time any of my students ever say they are going to a show for any corps other then the G7 is when they have a personal affiliation with the corps. Other then that there IS a definite line between the corps that put butts in seats and the rest.
It's reality. Reality might hurt some feelings. Tough.
Problem is, without those 'other 16' corps, unless they do a full-touring model there will not be enough corps in the shows to justify going to a show in these cash-strapped days of yore...and IF they do a single tour of all G7 corps this will limit exposure to the activity. It may last a little while; but when the novelty wears off, will there be enough 'other corps' left to rebuild what was a World Class?
Doesn't any of the arts community have any business sense to know that speciaizing in these economic conditions will truly spell the death knell to this activity? We are going from 80-90 corps in the 70's to basically 22 today because of the segregation that has occurred in stages over the past four decades; and mark my words....this will only serve to kill-off the other 16 corps; and then frankly, all it will tke is one bobble in the G7 to end it, once and for all. All this just because there are a couple in the activity with power and a sense of inflated self-importance.
I love what has happened the past two years; but it just seems so silly, and even stupid, to be doing this; especially NOW.
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True....my personal belief is that you shouldnt boo a child.. or anyone for that matter..
Point of order here...there are very few non-adults involved with World-Class corps (particulary in the upper-echelons) these days; and those who are need to be prepared as a part of being a performer about potential dissatisfaction with the product on the field; whether warranted or not. I am not saying that I would boo (especially since I am aware of the effort the performers put into their shows)..but how do we as an audience show the 'drawing of the line' of acceptability of show content? Especially since throwing tomatoes are kinda messy..
In these days of information, there cannot be a single performer who is unaware of what their particular corps is about..and if they are, they alone are to blame. And IF they choose to march a corps that is known for doing controersial things, maybe they need to be prepared for the reaction...and maybe learn to relish it; much like the heel in the kayfabe of professional wrestling.
(Which leads to an interesting show concept of the the heroine and the villian...and cheering and hissing by the audience... it could work!
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Look out...he just slammed the Troop....
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If 20 tubas play in the woods and no one is there to listen ,......
...there will be no woods left once they hit their pedal tones!!!!!!
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Sorry...just had a brain-fart.
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I am not really understanding all the hate on the large contra (tuba) line...it is a matter of instruction and instrumentalists. If you get quality players (and yes, they ARE out there) and an instructor that can teach them to play together (which is all a matter of instructional technique) then there is no reason that a large line cannot be as clean as a smaller line.
In addition, that larger line will allow the upper brass (if you have your sound pyramid properly set up with players and balance) to play out more without distorting the balances and sonority of the brass line. (And haven't we noticed that many high brass sections have to hold back due to the limitations of low-brass sonority? I have...)
In essence...MORE SOUND!!! And done right, too!!
And seeing that this is Madison we are talking about, wouldn't it be nice to hear that wall of soprano brightness that the Scouts have been known for WITH the intense power of the large low brass line? If you have the numbers, you have the volume with the sonority and richness that contemporary judges want to hear. It makes sense to me...
And all I can say is
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go and march Music City first to get your feet wet. Now as for making those first 3 corps that you mentioned.... If you aren't capable of making 1st band at mid-state then don't even bother trying out for any of them, because it will just be a waste of money. Like I said go march Music City first and get your feet wet, then you will be prepared to try out for the big boys... and on the upside Music City is only 30 short miles up I-24
If I am not mistaken Music City was limiting membership to HS grads and higher to avoid band conflicts...might want to check to see if that is still in effect.
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I'm not convinced that there is an overwhelming request on the part of national audiences for " loud and fast" , as you think there is. We've had " fast " visually to the point of running pell mell in sprints into formations, and brass notes the last few years played about as fast as we've ever heard in the activity..... ever. And generally speaking, giving " a standing ovation for a ballad" whether it hits a double forte or not, has rarely prompted audiences to spring to their feet. Ballads don't typically generate standing ovations...... Ballads have been played by Corps since the dawn of Corps. And oftentimes were ( and still are ) loved by audiences. So I really don't know what you are referring to here, as it as not been my experience that audiences have not fallen in love with Music played in a slow, melodic fashion, or Corps that have ended their shows with a quiet and contemplative ending to their show have not received standing ovations. I can think of dozens and dozens of Corps over the years that received standing ovations at the end of shows with great ballads played in the middle, and with soft and quiet endings to their show. Ironically, you mention '93 Star. Their music was fast, furious and loud.... and their finale was fast and furious and loud too, but got just a so so response from audiences . So I'd just have to disagree with your assumptions here, as it hasn't been my personal experience with Drum Corps anyway.
I am not too sure it is so much the desire for 'loud and fast' as it is just for the desire for some variety...There was a point in this activity (late 90's comes to mind) where in order to be competitive you HAD to do almost a templated show (with all the almost exact elements the judges and sheets wanted)..which led us to the uber-esoteric parade we saw for many years. Ironically, the same corps/writers that I would call the game-changer (Zingali and Garfield/Star) inadvertently pushed the activity into this pigeon-hole by their success usng the esoteric route.
Anything, and I mean ANYTHING...will get boring done the same way over and over again. DC got into that rut for awhile...and IMHO, iis now removing itself from that hole rather nicely. This past season is case in point...VARIETY, VARIETY, VARIETY!!!!!
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It's an exciting time of year, fresh from marching band season it's now onto the drum corps audition season and first camps. Cascades will be holding their first audition clinics this weekend in Seattle and Portland followed by Spokane, Tri-Cities and Boise.For our 53 years old organization, this is the...
... Read the rest of the article here - http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/index.php?o...1&Itemid=39
THIS IS NOT ABOUT TROOPERS...why is it labeled as such?
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Actually, doesn't GOD own the term 'Holy Name?'
The Official DCI Finals Lounge
in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Posted
I counted 70 brass in BDB....YIKES!!!!!
THIS should be a World Class corps....and would probably be competitive!