mlubandgroupie

From section 232, Spirits guard uni looks like psychedelic lederhosen. 😜

Just watched the promo/advert/trailer on dci.org, Madison is in it...will they be performing? I too, am dragging friends to see what all the fuss is about.

Just watched their 2011 show on the "tube". I'm excited to see them in ATL. Just wondered if they could be competitive in World Class.

I agree most on here need to get over themselves. During my short duration on this site I've read lots of complaints about how DCI is no longer fan friendly, and here they are attempting to do something fan friendly and DCP complains. LOL.

Is this not a fan friendlier idea?

OP great post. Another fan is always a great thing, even greater - that father and daughter have common interests that they can enjoy together. Don't worry about the negatives on this group, they will only be happy when there is no longer any form of DCI/DCA, etc. Then they can sit back with arms folded and bask in their "if they hadn't started using this keyed instrument, electronics, etc." DCI/DCA, etc. would still be around. The big 40 is coming on faster than I'd like, but I've accepted that time will not stop, or reverse...that things change. I can either change with them, leave them, or stay around and become that bitter old man that know one wants to be around. When DCI is know longer enjoyable for me - I hope, I can exit gracefully. I often wonder what drum corps like those that perform at the Edinburgh Tattoo think of DCI, etc? Long live DCI!!!

This will be the first time I've seen a non-North American corps live - what kind of show (quality) can be expected, will they be scored or is this just an exhibition, etc. (Noticed they are performing after receiving a message from TicketMaster about the ATL show time change.)

The closest show to me is over 3+ hours away, two shows are 3.5 hours away, and one is 5 hours away...you get the picture. I guess I'm still in the honeymoon period with DCI, but I'd attend every show I could that would not require me to get a room for the night. Those of you who are in easy driving distance don't know how lucky you have it.

Does it matter? Will a return bring back ALL the legacy viewers and bring in new viewers? Will finals be shown on ESPN or PBS again? Will DCI have national recognition (ie: NCAA Football)? Will stadiums be sold out? Will "geek" never again been mentioned in the same sentence with "band"? OR Is someone just trying to relive their youth? I'm new to DCI (saw my first show in 2005), but for an activity y'all profess to LOVE, I think y'all have crossed that fine line and now HATE. We all hate getting older, but that doesn't mean I have to HATE the activities I once loved when I was younger - no matter how much those activities have changed? OR Have I just spent a minute or two feeding a troll?

Ear plugs that can be adjusted for which ever era of DC you like. (ie: takes out electronics/voice, changes keys of the horns played) Glasses that can be adjusted for which ever era of DC you like. (ie: change uniforms, gaurd movements, drills, etc.)

Hope I don't get in trouble with the powers that be for posting this... Was checking out seating at the GA Dome, and Ticketmaster has tickets available. Got the seat I wanted this year. Yeah, Me!!! dci.org banner says tickets on sale 01/11/11.

Slightly off topic: From the what-it-is-worth department to the who-the-heck-cares department.... Prior to this discussion, I'd heard of Frank Ticheli and enjoyed his compisitions, but never put the local Ticheli's and the many roads, etc named after - with this Ticheli. Thanks to Wikipedia, I now know that Frank is a native son of my small town. Now back to regular DCP...

I didn't say it was "high" art. High art is subjective, IMHO. But, I did enjoy my nap during the opera.

Love the quote. Not that I wanted my intestines shook, more like I feared peristalsis had ceased.

Be careful of the "I-am-educated-so-I-get-it-attitude." Make sure your attitude doesn't turn any potential future Drum Corps fans away. At times it can seem that there is a preconceived idea among some music majors, if it "doesn't have lyrics" or played on Top 40 radio, the general public can not or is not willing to "get it". After, watching Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" I told a music major aquaintance I wanted a tee-shirt saying "I survived Tristan und Isolde". He preceded to tell me that Wagner is "high music" and I just don't get "high" music due to my lack of music education. His snobbery did not turn me away from opera...just from discussing any music related art form with him. Some times such attitudes do turn listeners/viewers away. I'm proud of your knowledge and you should be too, but if one does not have the same knowledge as you and/or does not appreciate the same art forms as you - does not make that person any less intelligent. The way to educate someone about an art form is to NOT make them feel ignorant... I work with a former member of Grambling State band. I made the MISTAKE of saying that GSU wished they were as good as a top 12 DCI corps. Guess who will never watch a drum corps show. Edited because I can't spell "intelligent" among many other words...Oh the irony...

I know you probably didn't mean to, but you came across as a bit condescending. I meet your criteria for not understanding/caring or being able to tell which corps is better. I do care and IMHO I can pick which of the above mentioned corps are better. Due to my "uber" love of all things DCI, my co-workers/friends/family know about DCI. If we get a show back in the area I live many say they will attended just to see what has me so hyped. I wonder if one of the reasons people might not be turned off, because of the "opera snob" attitude some DCI alumni unwittingly seem to have. I'm a bando, proud to be, and do not consider being called one an insult. Long live Drum Corps. After posting this I read post #68. Thank you fo saying, what I've thought...even experianced, much better than I could.

Again, WOW. I left the Atlanta show after "Battle Hymn" was played, but before any scores were announced. I guess I'm a rude southerner. The way to fight classlessness is to be classy.

Simply, WOW. Please tell me you are attempting to make a joke or write some form of satire.

As long as the quality of the shows stayed the same. YES! The quality is what attracted me to drum corps. I tell my friends/family that it is like a semi-professional marching band. Those that I've begged, pleaded with, and bribed to attend shows with me have no knowledged of the past rules or the current wars, but are impressed with the quality of the shows. (ie: the quality of sound, difficulty of the music, the speed and cleanness of drill, the dance/acrobatics/etc of the guard) This site has introduced me to a new group of people...Drum Corp Snobs. :-)

Some great ideas. But? Will any of these changes bring brand new non-band/corps fans? Will your friends and family who just grin and nod their head with the OMG here she/he goes again, have an epiphany and fall in love with drum corps? I enjoyed Madison's show. It was simply just fun - put a smile on my face. I was caught up in the standing ovation of the crowd at Atlanta, but how much of the "chill bump" enducingness of that program was from the show or the hx/etc behind the corps? Is drum corps really on its last breath or is it just drum corps of years past that is circling the drain? Will a push either forward or backwards bring back the great crowds? Who is the future of drum corps? Has a survey/study ever been done on where current MM come from (marching band, wgi, etc.) and where future MM might come from? Yes, I as a ticket buyer I should hold a bit of sway with the future of DC, but if there are no performers what will I be paying to see?

Opera and orchestra may not have forgotten their audience, because they don't have much of an audience to forget. Seriously, that is why the MET is trying ever thing it can think of to grow its audience. (ie: updating the old classics, modern operas, young beautiful less full figured female leads, handsome young male leads who are closer to a six pack than a keg, new sets, nudity for nudities sake, simucast in movie theaters, etc.) A tough time for the arts. A couple of questions. How big of a following does the traditional drum and bugle corps have? (ie: Edinburgh tattoo style). One wonders if some on here who cry "drum corps is dying" are not wishing that it does die so they can, stand self-rightously with arms fold, say "I told you so." I hope not.

And that is why I made the statement about hoping to age in drum corps as I'm trying in life - with grace. If drum corps ever becomes gray haired and bald to me, I hope I never try to dye it and cover it with a rug to regain my youthful image of drum corps. Just accept that change happens and if I can't handle the change then gracefully exit field right. All those that think drum corps is dying, what era do you think would bring back the crowds? Yes, it might bring back some former fans, but will they be able to replace the fans lost and the new fans never gained? Or is it a bigger problem that ALL performing arts seem to be experiencing? For instance, all the local marching bands (high school and college), in the area I live, are having problems recruiting members. To the outsider arguing over key changes, electronics, etc is eye-roll inducing.

It may be dying to you...but to this n00bie bando it has only begun to come alive. To that group of preteens/early teen kids, standing on the platform, after the Atlanta show, waiting for the train, talking about how they can't wait to march for BD, Cavies, etc drum corps is not dying for them. It might not be the drum corps of your past, but it is the drum corps of their future. Will their life lessons, learned at the hands of drum corps, be any less than yours because - they played a different keyed instrument, marched in a different style, or performed a show not to your liking? Does that mean the old drums corps is any less relevant than the new style, NO - just means all things must evolve or they die. I hope I can age in the Drum Corps world as I am attempting to in life - with grace. It is ok to dislike a particular show, and that does not mean you have to dislike that corps or drum corps as a whole. (ie: I loved BD's 2009 show, but not their 2010 show. I loved Cavaliers 2010 show, but not their 2009 show.)

I have read of Tom's desire for Pioneer to return to the competitive success of the past. At what cost? Are the directors/etc the sole reason BD won this year, that PR won drums? Changing leadership will instantly make them (Pioneer) better or do they need to change the way they recruit?

I don't understand your negativity toward a corps that you say you do not support finacially. Please help me understand the negativity. What do YOU want for Pioneer? To be a G7 corps? Continue to provide a marching experience for those that might not be able to march for a G7 corps or may not want to march for such corps? Or do you want them to be competitive with G7 corps but still be able to provide a marching experience for those might not be able to march for a G7 corps or want to march for such corps? If you have such a passion for the corps (positive or negative), wouldn't your energy be more environmentally friendly (on DCP) if you actually helped the corps become what YOU want? As of now, I do not support any corps. I may not like a particular show that a corps does, but unless I have a child in said corps, am an alumni of, volunteer for, or contribute funds too what reason do I have to speak so negativly of them-especially if that corps is allowing kids to march who otherwise may not get to march? From what little hx I know of drum corps...wasn't education and helping kids the original intent? If so, and if Pioneer is still keeping this tradition, what is wrong with that? IMHO, I think it is a great thing they are doing - helping kids from SA and Mexico to march.