Photographer Jim

Oh sigh. You're right. Didn't get it at all. But then, I seldom watch TV unless it's Saturday morning cartoons, or shows with excessive gratuitous violence and sex. [does "The Office" have lots of gratuitous sex and violence? I mean, if it does I'll certainly give it a try!] And shame on Brasso for setting me up like that. I see now that behind that seemingly considerate and rational screen persona lurks the heart of a truly evil man! OK, i'll just go back to my corner and see if i can find a sexy slasher film to watch while my ego heals.

My hope is that this would become the prevailing approach for corps as we progress down the line. For me, its a lot like trying to create a gourmet meal; a little of the right spice can accent the natural flavors of the dish. Too much and the spice becomes over-powering and all one can taste. Right now, I think the cooks are still learning, and still have a ways to go until they get the A&E "seasoning" figured out. Thankfully, things aren't such that I no longer want to come to the table and enjoy the meal being offered.

I understand that feeling. To me that is one of the indications that things are overdone.

Grandpa, Thank you for a straight-forward and honest post about your experience. I recall from your posts in other threads that you had approached this trip to the show with some trepidation. I am glad that in the end, you found yourself reconnecting with DCI in a positive way despite your difficulty with the direction you have perceived DCI to be going in during the past few years. I hope that that connection remains for you. I posted in another thread that I do not see A&E as being either the death or the savior of drum corps. I think it can have it's place, but there may be some difficult growing pains along the way as corps learn to fit it into their performances with skill and in ways that are at once pleasing and true to the uniqueness of drum corps. Like yourself, I think that currently, things are in phase of overuse. I sometimes make the analogy to graphic art and photography where many of us had to learn that just because the new tools of Photoshop allowed us to over-saturate colors, it didn't mean that we should. Sometimes learning to wield a tool with a sense of subtlety takes going through some "rough" periods. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experiences.

Sorry, I forgot to take my meds today.

Cross posted from another thread. Looks like DCI is aware of the problem and at least in the process of trying to get it corrected. Let's all just take a deep breath and hang in until they, hopefullty, can fix the problem.

I'll second.

"turn me on, deadman." And yes, I DID actually disassemble my turn table in order to find out.

Well we have to have rules! We are a civilized society after all. If we had no rules and simply let things degenerate into free form criticism, before you know it we'd have a total state of anarchy. The economy would crumble, their would be rioting in the streets, and widows and orphans would be thrown from their homes!!!! ......sorry. Back to my corner.

Maestro, can we have pol-y-syl-lab-ic in the key of G please!

Actually I think Plan9's take on how the props connect is pretty good. To me, they fit with the Hal David lyrics of "House is not a Home" pretty well. (My take) Just as a real "home" can not be built by one person alone, BD's symbolic home only comes together (and is occupied by the corps) at the show's closer after the corps has pulled the props together from their random positions at the start of the show. Granted, the props are stylized, but consistent with graphic art ("op art") popular during the Bacharach era. Nothing too deep really, just a visual that has a nice literal interpretation of the music. Beyond that, the show is what it claims to be, a homage to the music of BB.

BD '88. She'll love the smooth opening, elegant guard uniforms, and the balloons.

I know there is a "rap" song by that name by Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip, but I don't know how or if it has any connection to the show other than sharing the same title. I read through the lyrics and wonder if the chorus somehow vaguely relates to BDs departure from the musical direction they took the past few years, although I personally doubt it. Probable an exercise in total over-analysis, but for a moment there it brought back college days and sitting around trying to find obscure meanings in Bob Dylan songs!

To answer your question directly, I hadn't really thought of the props in that way, but can see how some might make that connection. My post was in response to how the original post was offered. I didn't take it as a joke - no smiley or surrounding context to indicate it was meant as such. If it was meant to say "BD's props remind me of tinker toys, and I don't really care for them much" then that could have, and should have been said directly as such. Instead, the post is specifically worded in the form of an insult to the "kids". With over fifty years of watching drum corps, I have no problems with spirited opinions and criticisms of shows by fans, but when the comments cross over the line into direct insult to the MMs, be they BDs, Cadets, Cavies, Troopers, or Pioneers, I feel compelled to call out the poster. If the original poster truly did not mean the comment as any form of insult, fine. I hope he'll make it clear and think a bit more about how he says things in the future. If it was meant to be a snub, well then, again I say classless and shame.

I don't get bothered much by all of the posts that go on endlessly about design being too easy, no, it's more difficult than you will admit, most of the audience is bored, no, they just don't get it, too much park-n-bark, etc, etc. More often than not, these are just VERY passionate fans, discussing the corps they are passionate about. But this type of comment really sticks in my craw. It's wording and tone make it clear that it's sole purpose is to be insulting. Classless, simply classless. (I wonder if the poster would tolerate a comment of this tone if it were directed at LSU?)

Thank goodness some people actually get it! Thank you for voicing this, Tricia.

Pretty high up I'd think.

Dang I am loving this season! So many truly enjoyable shows! Things are so good, I almost feel guilty having favorite corps, if that makes sense.

Keep in mind that when you are playing to an audience that is sitting a number of yards away, it's necessary to exaggerate movement expression, etc. I for one will cut them some slack if their acting wouldn't quite get them academy awards!

LOL. Now that's the type of "from the show" type of info that is fun to get. Hope you'll keep those reports coming for the remaining corps! Thanks!

I do like Academy. They continue to improve yearly. I enjoy them musically very much and think their overall approach to their shows is getting better as they mature as a corps.

Must say, I do prefer the old fashioned style warmup over the elaborate pre-shows. But that's just me I guess.

Alas, my laptop doesn't have a fast enough processor to handle the beta feed, but other multi- cam feed isn't too bad. Sound is definitely better this broadcast.

It will take a lot of cleaning, but it's possible.

WOW. I have to chuckle a bit to think back that after the first shows this season there were people asking in posts if this was the year when BD would drop out of the top five. What a FUN season this has become!