chris7997

Hi Drum Corps Community, Ok, this a rant. Before you all hate me and tell me how I should just "get with the times," I do have free speech. These are just opinions -- take them or leave them. You may disagree. Fine. Drum Corps is not above an honest critique and review each year. I continue to be amazed at the talent and majesty of the activity. This is not to take away from the hard work all of the kids went through this summer. Yet, here are some drum corps cliches that are bugging me...(I'm biased...to me this year's shows were...meh.) Let me know...what are your cliches? What do you wish could be done better in shows? 1. Futuristic/space-aged modernism themes -- how many shows do we have to see that could be from the planet Krypton?! Sci-fi and drum corps fine. But EVERY year we have to keep traveling to distant planets and incorporating modern, geometric visuals? C'mon. Let's get a little more creative and diverse in our show themes, please. Does EVERY show theme have to be modern to be good? 2. Full body modern space suits worn by color guard and no helmets/hats worn by instrumentalists...what's the deal with that? If it's covid related fine, but it this is a trend, why? 3. Shows about nothing ... when I want to watch a show about nothing, I watch Seinfeld. Can we get SOME show that I can easily explain to my grandmother?! Instead, I'm usually sitting back saying, "Huh? What was that?" Perhaps I'm not "hip" enough to get it. Does a show have to be existential and theoretical to be good? 4. Guitars (maybe added recently)...fine. But I feel as though corps have to say, "Look at how avante guard we are being by adding a guitar this year!" Years ago we added the trombone. Now we have electric guitars. Why not just add ALL of the instruments...woodwinds, etc.?! At what point can we just keep drum and bugle corps about drums and bugles? If you want to be more creative, start with ditching the sci-fi shows and doing something new and different. 5. Bad marching. I see inaccurate and sloppy lines even among the top corps -- lines that are supposed to be straight but are off and curved. People off their mark. And park and blow. As a brass player, I love some park and scream...but it's becoming a bit cliche. It should be special and done the right way. What happened to the innovative marching of the 90's Cavaliers? There was some innovative stuff in 2022, but it seems as though innovative and super challenging marching routines kind of have been lost in recent years. I'm not saying what they are doing now isn't challenging. I'm just saying I see a lot of the same stuff in marching...especially from one of the top corps.

Hi all, This is a bit of a random post. I was just curious what it was like to march for SCV during Phantom in 88? Not to take away from any of the other emotional performances of other corps. But to me, it's one of the most emotionally powerful shows that just leaves your heart spirited and your eyes wet with tears. For those who marched the show, (now alumni who are in their 50's)...what was it like? Were people crying as they were playing? What was the anticipation like at the start of the season and how did it feel to finish? If you have stories to tell, just curious what they are. Chris

Just drawing this out ... but other corps have great staffs...what is it about the Blue Devils staff that makes them a cut above other staffs? Other corps have excellent management...what about the Blue Devils management makes it a cut above?

And what is up with this "cheese" argument? As though EVERYTHING that is not post modern is cheese? First of all, no body watches the Phantom or Fiddler show by SCV and says "Oh that's so cheesy." They say, "That's bad a#$. Awesome." Yeah, some of the haircuts and helmets were cheesy, but it was the 80s?! We are in the ARTS people. THE ARTS. I thought we valued diversity? For the love of the Arts, can the top 3 or 4 corps mix it up a bit, please? Just one year?

Let me put it this way...say you go to your favorite local orchestra or a national philharmonic orchestra...and that orchestra decided one day to play only postmodern composers EVERY SINGLE YEAR...and they did this for more than a decade...No body would say, "Just figure it out man. We don't need cheese from the old days." You would say, how about Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart...some jazz numbers with Duke Ellington, some African spirituals, some Broadway, etc. etc. Or how about this...you go to your favorite local modern movie theater, but they decide from now for another 10 years to only play apocalyptic futurist movies. That's it. Just apocalyptic movies...for more than a decade...wouldn't you be a little bored? So if you wouldn't be willing to put up with lack of diversity in your local orchestra or local movie theater...then why are you putting up with it from your favorite top drum corps year after year after year...?

Fair enough. So the avante garde shows are about making you feel inteligent? Does all non-avant guard have to be cheese?

The Blue Devils have won 19 championships. WHAT is the reason for The Blue Devils success? What sets them apart as a "great corps" versus just a good corps? What does the drum corps world see as causes for their success? If you had to explain to a non-drum corps person why they are so great, what would you say? And a provocative question: IS at least SOME of this success because of the Blue Devils reputation, history, and mystic as a power-house corps or NOT? The mystic of being "The Blue Devils" from the West Coast who are now 19-times champions? For example if a judge knows he or she is judging The Blue Devils, are they more inclined to rate them higher because of who they are not what they are exactly doing on the field? Like a filtering bias. Or are the Blue Devils THAT good every year that every body knows it? Just proposing the question!

Is anyone getting bored with show themes among the top corps these days? Most everyone is doing the avant garde, post modern, esoteric, hidden meaning thing. I'm constantly thinking "what is it?" Random circles and sticks, run ways, doors opening, strange props, futuristic costumes... I feel like I'm in the modern art museum at the Smithsonian every drum corps season. Does anyone miss a little bit of realism and grit in shows? Maybe every once in a while a major score show ... like the old days...Phantom, Fiddler, etc. Or a show that doesn't leave people wondering "what is it?"

AVAILABLE: I have one ticket to the show. $75. It's a great seat. I can't go--something came up I had to cancel. Email me at christopherinreston@gmail.com if interested. Purchased on Ticketmaster. It's a Mobile Ticket. Section 234. Row 5. Seat 13. --Chris

Hi Drum Corps Fans, Random post here. "Fun topic for discussion." Do I pursue a lifelong dream OR face reality, grieve, and move-on from the loss of the dream involving Drum Corps? Who: Me. I'm 40. Drum Corps fan since 10 years old. Marched only one year as a rookie age out. Trumpet player. I'm in business now in the "Real World." Part of the daily grind. The Dream: Becoming a brass tech for an Open Class or World Class corps and conducting a large corps in warm-ups. How? Is it too late? I wasn't a music major. I'm a good trumpet player, but not a great one. I don't have any resume at all to speak of other than high school, college marching band, jazz band, and one year in Drum Corps for a Division II drum corps. It's inspiring, but discouraging, to see the resumes of a brass tech for even the smallest of corps...they usually are music majors with vast experience in drum corps for many years, accolades at school for brass performance. I'd have to probably go back to school, get a music degree in trumpet performance, play in several bands...it could be an 8 - 10 year process. And would any drum corps hire me when they've got a "Whose Who" of musicians waiting in line for those tech positions?? Pursue or Grieve and Move-On? ~Chris

This is a terrible decision by the Madison Scouts. It's another result of political correctness. And wrong on multiple levels (and for the DCI forum morality police, no, I don't mean that having a corps with women is wrong! So just relax). Having a diversity of corps with different traditions is a healthy thing. Valuing diversity gives more people choice. If I want to be in an all-male corps one year, I can. If I don't, and want to be in a co-ed, I can. I have choices. Women in drum corps have 21 choices. Heck, there may be an "all female" drum corps one day -- that would be kind of cool. Diversity is a good thing. First of all, it's not promoting discrimination to just simply exist as an all male-corps. DCI has what 22 World Class corps and 21 of them are co-ed. Second, Madison Scouts are a private organization and they can uphold whatever traditions they want. We have all female private colleges. We have all black private colleges. We even have, sadly in my opinion, all black graduations. So the people who cry discrimination, practice discrimination all the time, excluding one group or another. But when it comes to an all male corps..."NO! We can't have that!" Third, no one, and I mean no one, in the last 20 years...has gone to a DCI concert, heard the Madison Scouts and said, "Gosh, they are only all male? They must really be a discriminatory drum corps! They must hate women." Not one. People go, "Oh wow, unique." And move on. Fourth, and I have to challenge the posts I say that say "leave politics out of this discussion" - first of all, there's free speech in this country. It's a free forum. Second, by saying that you are really saying, "I just want to hear my side of the argument, 'traditional value people' need to shut up." Lastly, most of the people who voted for this in the Madison Scouts organization wouldn't dare label an all-female corps as "discriminatory" or practicing "discrimination," nor try to lobby to get them to accept men. Why is that? Ultimately this boils down to the political correctness that pervades our society in thinking that it must be "BAD" if it's all men. If you value diversity and choice in Drum Corps, you will not like this decision by the Scouts. If you don't value those things, you'll love it.

Did I say YEA was sweeping things under the rug? My response was to an the old Board post. I don't know what the new Board is like. They may be terrific. Good for her. I'm glad she's supporting the Cadets and standing up! I don't believe in making everyone a victim or guilty because some were a few bad apples. Please understand. But I'm concerned about the danger to say, "yeah yeah...there was sexual abuse...and there still might be...but look, some of the victims are supporting the corps...we got it taken care of. Let's just move on. Come on. Let it go. Nothing to see here anymore." It's been what, a week?! A week of action? Healing and changing the culture doesn't happen in one week. I'm not saying you are saying that, but you could imagine that some drum corps fans, leaders, whomever who just want to "be entertained" for the next season and don't want these things to be exposed. Calling for more accountability and exposure and time on focusing on this issue of sexual abuse is not "un-supporting" the corps themselves. It's supporting the corps, whichever corps, because it's wanting the corps to be healthy and safe. It's actually a healthy thing that we just don't want fans to focus on the next season and take some time to focus on what's really important. Who cares about the next season? Drum corps is not life. It's not religion. "Drum corps seasons" aren't sacred. But for too many people it is "the ultimate" and that leads I think to some of these issues.

I don't see any problem with highlighting an old Board post. It's a pretty serious story. We comment on things politicians do years ago. I think it's worth exposing so the new Board knows we don't want more stories about how "great a year" this is and more sensitive outreach to the victims. That's all. But I apologize for the signature ad. I have no idea how that got there. Sorry!

Ok fine. The new Board may be wonderful. I haven't seen them apologize for the old Board's initial statement. But I still believe it's worth exposing to keep the new Board accountable to realizing that we don't want statements about how great a season this is going to be this year! So far it sounds like they are doing the right thing, but I'm skeptical of people who want to quickly sweep these things under the rug and "move on."

Fair enough. I just read the old Board resigned.

I got to tell you, I don't know if the initial statement by the YEA Board of Directors in response to the sexual abuse allegations was the OLD board or the NEW board, but it is pathetic (assuming the allegations are true). I wrote about this on another stream, but I think it's worth exposing again. The YEA statement is pathetic. "George has resigned. Though he denies the allegations, he believes stepping aside is in the best interest of the organization. We agree." WHY? If he did NOTHING wrong, then why resign? And why would YEA agree of his resignation. If he's falsely accused he shouldn't resign. This is YEA wiping their hands of any guilt or shame. And then YEA has the GALL to say, "Today was difficult for everyone. We expect tomorrow to be better." Today was difficult for everyone?! So again, the pain of the victims is as bad as the pain you at YEA are going through right now? We expect tomorrow to be better?! All ready to move on and sweep this under the rug are we YEA? But in their statement, YEA reminds us "The dancing at Xcape won't stop." Oh ok. That makes everything better. I FEEL so better. Thank you. How about a little more sensitivity to potential victims. I doubt, if what the victims say is true, they care that the dancing won't stop at Xcape. I think it's time we start honoring the victims and pay attention to their stories (assuming the allegations are true again...and boy...it's hard to believe they aren't.).

Ok, I just checked in to DCA forms after being a way from posting for a while, and just got the news about Hopkins and the Cadets (I'm a little slow on the uptake). Assuming the stories are true and the victims are telling the truth, then I'm disgusted at some of the posts and statements I see from members. I'm also disheartened and appalled at YEA's response statement. Why? I am reading all sorts of posts about how this is such a "sad time for the Cadets," oh what a "painful moment" for all those who care about the Cadets and YEA...."Cadet fans are going through such a tough time." Woah is me. Pity pity. What about the painful moments these victims went through? What about the sad time for these young women? What kind of "tough time" do you think they've endured? We actually think that as fans of the Cadets our pain as outsiders looking in matches the level of pain of the victims of sexual assault?! Baloney.

I'm very impressed after just watching the Mandarins show. LOVE IT! Best Mandarins show I've ever seen. Brilliantly designed. Visuals are creative and fresh. The entire thing is new and novel...and delivers. That drum line...woah. Thank you for what you've done this year.

Ok ok. I get BD being #1, but SCV as #2? when it's their 60th and 50th anniversary years respectively? REALLY?!! No offense to SCV, but I don't believe this show is #2. Wouldn't that be wonderful if on their anniversary years they both took the top two placements! Oh please. I'm smelling a set-up. The system is rigged.

I'm in Northern Virginia and won't be going to Ohio at all. Maybe I can Next Day Fed Ex.

I have 2 tickets available...GREAT seats. In the $40 section. I had to cancel going. I don't know if it's too late to get them to someone, but just thought I'd let you all know. How can I get these to someone?

I have two tickets available for the Massilon, Ohio show. Please let me know ASAP. I guess I would have to Fed Ex them?

Who gets to decide what good "performance art" and "theatrical character" is...and does that make it ok for teenagers to be showcased in this way. I think if my daughter were up there I might ask her to put a robe on. Well, let's not help the dirty men out any...let's do them any favors.

Oh ok. That makes it ok then.

Is anyone concerned about this? I'm not trying to be a prude...but we do have minors in the activity...and I'm sure even ...I know sex sells, but I didn't come to watch a lust filled cabaret. These women are fairly young. Am I crazy, or are the dad's of these girls cool with this?