MikeRapp

Could someone link me to some Goodwin music on Spotify that you would like them to consider?

There is a huge difference between designing shows "with visual in mind" and making visual central to the design. Again, I have been one of the most vocal supporters of Blue Knights this year. They have the coolest brass and percussion book on tour (save Vanguard) and did the best to use but not abuse amplification. In the offseason, theirs will be one of the few recordings I will listen to. That said, of all the corps out there, they continue to be the corps on the outside looking in that has a chance to become a medal contender. You don't have to do the visual vomit fest of Cavaliers to be in that group, thankfully, but little mirrors and tarps don't cut it either.

I canceled after retreat last night. I think they do a better job, overall, than they get credit for, but at no point did it seem they cared one way or another what our experience was. Therefore, I don't care to pay them for a level of service they seem disinterested in offering. After the disaster of Broken Arrow, their website was filled with angry customers wanting an explanation. Not a single post got a response from anyone at Flo. That to me is inexcusable and speaks either to their focus as a company or their manpower to serve dci. If a streaming service requires dedicated fiber to get reasonable quality, then you aren't going to please many people right now. They seem fine with that. I wouldn't mind watching some winter guard and boa stuff, but not with the absurdly frustrating and unpredictable quality of their bandwidth.

I don't really know anything about how corps get compensated, but in my view there is more than one current world class corps that is not, will not ever be, and has no goal to be, world class in any respect other than they get a share of the money. There are several open class corps that make significantly bigger investments in the activity than these groups will ever invest, because they don't have to to retain their position at the end of the money train. I do not have a single idea as to how one would put an end to this. But it is flat out unfair.

The highest Knights ever placed in visual? I love what Knights do musically, as I have said many times here. But like it or not, drum corps has become a visual activity. Too much so, in my opinion. If your goal is to medal (and it may not be) then visual has to be merged into the concept. It cant be a prop, or a tarp, or a bunch of mirrors. Visual has to be central, with the music. Again, I am not saying the goal should be to medal. But it is very clear what you have to do to medal.

This is nonsense. What men and women wear is a cultural discussion. By your standard, no one should care if the girls came out in string bikinis, and the men in speedos. There is a line.

Blue Knights appear to begin their design concept discussions with music, and then much later in the game throw in visual ideas. None of their visual concepts ever feel central to the basic show. You could have removed the entire guard from this year's show and missed nothing. Consider that statement about Blue Devils, SCV, Bluecoats, Boston, Cadets, Cavaliers. Knights are basically competing with one arm tied behind their backs.

I never said they invented electronics, or costuming. They validated them.

Abou halfway through this season, I started questioning the design logic of doing a Fosse visual with ultra modern music. A bridge too far? Possibly.

Blue Knights need to look no further than SCV for visual inspiration and direction. They don't need pink ramps, white ladders, and mad max staging to field compelling visual designs.

Phantom, of all corps, traded brass for guard. I don't think you have to be old school to not be upset about this.

I don't agree with this at all. Before electronics and nontraditional costuming, Bluecoats were just another good, midling dci corps. That never won a single gold medal. I see the impact of their gold medal almost everywhere, including Blue Devils with amplification. Half of the finalists have changed from traditional uniforms to costuming in just two years. More will change next year. Nearly all finalists heavily depended on amplification, ironically none more then Cavaliers.

As to the above post, I am likely around you age and experience, and all I can say is, it is a different activity today. And the activity is very much influenced by Winter Guard, which did not exist when we were in band. You can't understand the parameters and perceptions of drum corps and marching arts without fully understanding Winter guard. Recorded music, costuming, heavy-handed themes, and by definition small ensemble and soloist performances are the basic concepts of winter guard. Live music performance and drill marching literally does not really matter in winter guard. All of the dci designers and instructors dissect and assimilate everything they now do from winter guard. Many of the instructors and nearly all of the judges have come from winter guard. Not the other way around.

I'm not convinced this is an accurate blanket statement when it comes to show design. How many marching members had to spend hours building, moving, unbuilding and reloading props this season? How many of them got to watch precious few peer performances due to these responsibilities? Very often, today, it is all about the scores. And not about the members.

I wonder if corps directors will make some changes to electronics (reduce their dependence) on their own, before the next rules congress. I would say the only corps that truly benefited from electronics in scoring and show design was Cavaliers, because if you removed electronics from their show the show flat out doesn't work. (Don't get me started...) Electonic mishaps of all kinds were an issue all season long. Many of these issues, imo, are not fixable given the unique time, financial and performance constraints of drum corps. Electronics too often are hurting, not enhancing, the viewing experience. I would have to guess that everyone will take a long hard look at singing soloists and determine how that idea should be used, if at all. Singing isnt going away, but building a show around singing imho is a questionable design decision. I don't think either Crown or Cadets had better general effect because of singing. Many, if not most, have argued it hurt their GE, and was distracting. For me, if we removed all singing the activity moves on as better, less complex, more entertaining, and easier to score. I wouldn't miss it one bit. I can't say that about any other aspect of drum corps. It won't disappear, but it isn't central to dci.

This is my ongoing concern with dci as an activity. I want shows that entertain musically. And I want it to be virtually impossible to work the sheets at the expense of musical entertainment. Love guard, but he best musical shows should have a fundamental advantage. Corps that create shows that do not put music at the center are fine, but they should not be able to outscore shows that do.

Visually, be more like Vanguard. If so, you can medal.

All fine, well and good. Love dark humor. Play more music. That's my only request.

Choir robes. And a cross. And pews. And a choir. And stained glass windows. Buy them all and we will throw in The Savior of the World for free. And one heavily used cheese grater.

Well, technically, one intermission and one expulsion...

In the context of how DCI scores shows all season long, final point totals are literally not comparable from one season to the next. A 95 this year is not a 95 next year. It is all relative scoring. Not point additions and subtractions.

Neither of those things had anything to do with finishing fifth. It was a troubled second act, and rather one dimensional guard book compared to the corps that finished ahead of them.

Music is why I love drum corps. I appreciate the other stuff, but to me if you don't major on music then why do drum corps? I have loooooong been and will remain a big Cavaliers fan. Most of you know that Frameworks and Machine are in my top 10 all time shows. These past two Cavaliers shows couldn't carry those two shows' jock straps. So yes, it pisses me off seeing my second least favorite show finish ahead of my favorite show because of something other than music. but whatever, really, it doesn't lessen my joy for Jagged Line or all the other great shows. I just don't like how dci is inadvertently moving this activity right now.

Just wanted to say thank you for being such a fun and informative member of this site. I've really enjoyed your insights, you have been a great supporter of Boston while never being the DB that so many others here often are for their favorite corps. Peace.

Bluecoats made a lot of bold decisions in all areas this year, and that's why I love them. But this year some of those decisions bit them in the arse. It is what it is at this point. I love the Cavaliers, some of my all time favorite shows are theirs, but I have truly hated their last two designs. They are both the forest for the trees in terms of design, just throwing everything you can possibly think of out on a football field with very, very little musicality. It scores well, apparently. But it is no fun to watch, at least for me. Right now there is no question this activity continues to lean to guard and dramatic individualizations over musical performance. I personally enjoy this but I don't think it is or should be the core of this activity. Many disagree with me, I am no one important. B,uecoars will come back with another amazing show next year. They will learn from their missteps and come out blazing again. They are still the It corps in dci, and Jagged Edge will remain one of the great shows of this decade. I'm cool with that.