Land_Surfer

This is what it might sound like:

👍 That last paragraph!!!

I’m not upset, just curious.

It’s old news, from 2011. Why did you dislike Star so? Because they were so young and raced to the top? If you have money, use it to do great things, and Star did. They hired the best staff purchased the best equipment, etc. I have no qualms with that. Spending years growing, learning, maturing is great if you have time but why, when money can get you there faster?

1990 Star is one of my all time favorites. Amazingly advanced both musically and visually... ahead of its time as usual.

Not sure SCV was inspired by The Freelancers but, the 1989 Star of Indiana “British Invasion” is one of my most memorable shows and, likely the most memorable field show featuring Walton (and Holst). It was an attention getter. FWIW - On their finals comeback, The Freelancers did a very innovative and avant garde John Williams (composer) themed show that was also memorable.

30% could easily be knocked off if all corps would revert back to the core competency of drum corps, the human factor... less props and no electronics. Nope, the staff would rather they pay more to play less, dance more and let the amp take all the credit.

Complex drill and M&M didn’t change the essence either but, keyboard percussion And tympani can’t do it.

But adding the pit (percussion) and a third valve (brass) didn’t change the essence of drum & bugle corps.

What added value will result by electing to include additional non-brass and percussion instruments [seriously]? It certainly won’t be creativity and innovation! Those two characteristics are about to be displaced by compromise and all-inclusive and the activity will become ordinary and fade away, and then I’ll get to refer to the former DCI, as I do all once great value added activities (that made a difference) that chose compromise over focus and determination, with a quote by TX Congressman Charlie Wilson: “these things happened, they were glorious and they changed the world and then we f___ked up the end game.” Each time in history when compromises were made to change unique and exclusive activities that built character, leadership and made a positive difference, the only ones who benefit are the historians selling the reminders of the glory of the past. DCI has a chance to be one of the last great bastions to preserve one of the most unique and avant-garde marching musical activities ever known but, I think many of the decisions about its fate are being made selfishly.

Tradition maintained is always a good thing. It attracts a larger crowd of paying spectators. PR will likely do their own thing and their sound will be amazing because the music will be arranged in PR style.

No doubt, the bari’s and euphs will once again play the leading role in the 2020 horn book. Thank God! Dark, rich and soulful. Most of the folks on this sight have no idea how much “structure damage” can be caused to a stadium by the dark, rich and soulful sounds of a Regiment horn line.

I’d leverage JW’s experience as much as I could, I’m sure JD did. There was some old school PR voicing in Spartacus, and they won!

JD certainly understands effective voicing and arranging to achieve PR’s signature dark, rich and soulful sound that made them who / what they are. While euph’s and bari’s are a major part of that PR signature sound and often a major voice of their musical selections but, it’s his (and his predecessor’s) ability to smartly arrange for all brass voices to effectively emulate great orchestral works and fill an entire stadium with emotion that not even a non-PR fan (then & now) can deny. Electronic instruments and stadium sized amplification do not create sounds that evoke emotions.

JD was a mellophone player.

It’s all “art house indie.” We need more cult classics!

I’ve been longing for the return of traditional modern drum corps of the 90’s and early 2000’s. As said in an above post “theater does not transfer to the field very well,” ... especially the electronic instruments used in the theater’s orchestra pit. I had to detox with some 80’s and 90’s DCI championships on VHS in order to recover from this year’s finals week. What I fear is there will be a time when no one in the activity will have experienced the purity / clarity / quality and raw power of just brass and percussion. Keyboard percussion instruments never needed an electronic piano keyboard backup or, God forbid, lead. DCI instructors and performers were creative enough and good enough to simulate piano parts, etc. Listen to how ‘91 SCV simulated a landing helicopter. It sounded just like the real thing and there was no electronic instrument assist or amplification at all. No one ever said, “that soloist or ensemble would sound much better if amplified or even replaced by an electronic instrument, or better yet, have their part sung or spoken.” Maybe today’s society is leaning towards less effort and more mono-tone? I’m not totally against props either. They are fine for back drop settings but not to impede the flow of marching and routine execution. The marching members and guard with their weaponry are the kaleidoscope used to exclusively visualize the emotion of the music. A prop never evokes emotion, it modulates it. Watch Star of Indiana’s 1990 show. The props weren’t the performers.

I guess having the highest 12th place score means something. I remember a time when only SCV, BD, Cadets, Cavies, PR, Madison only mattered. I guess everyone is a winner in today’s culture / society. No need to strive for greatness anymore, just status quo... never achieved anything.

88 Madison was unreal. To date, the loudest corps I’ve ever heard and it was high quality sound too

A power failure, evens the playing field, so we can hear real musical GE.

It’s going to take quite a bit of strength to keep from being crushed by the weight of the 11 corps above them. 🙄

They desperately need a super experienced and successful show coordinator to oversee, direct and advise / council a senior level creative design team on staff selection and show concept, planning and execution, while keeping the essence of this corps alive and always front and center.

True, no argument, and I love it as much as anyone, but, DCI is purely an activity founded on and thrives on total competition where corps placement totally determines the quality of members who consider and audition for a corps. Let’s be honest, corps who fall out of the top 12 really aren’t as interesting to the masses as those in the top 12, more-so the top 6-7. No one can afford to fall out of the top 12. Resources become super limited and the life expectancy hangs in the balance. PR is not a wealthy corps. Them falling out of the top 12 will, unfortunately, likely be terminal. I don’t think the PR leadership has done all they can to attract / maintain top-shelf creative and instructional staff.

It’s obvious that no one is telling the marching members the gravity of the situation that PR is in! This year's marching members could very possibly be the marching members who don’t make it to finals, a finish this corps hasn’t experienced since 1973. It may not be totally their fault but, they are the ones being judged and the ones who spent a very large sum of money (each) to be successful... to win or get as close to winning as expected. Not making it to finals is absolutely unsuccessful. Heck, anything in the bottom half is unsuccessful in my book when paying the fees to march. Back in the day if we performed poorly, or, did not perform to the expectation of the staff it was explained sternly to us and we paid the price dearly with very, very intense practice until we got it right and the point was made. Today’s generation would likely have cried and quit. If this was a volunteer activity, I would have no issues, but it isn’t. There is too much money and survival at stake and the members and staff need to feel the absolute burden. PR has never had a roster of MM and staff that caused this low of finish. Don’t settle to the one that does. Truth hurts. Deal with it.

I guess someone has to be the first to perform. 🙄.