aLittleBird

Hop finally released a rehearsal video?

I heard Lion King

"A condescending slap at the fans" might be a little bit of a harsh rebuttal to the point he's trying to make-- which evidently is that the scoring on that night might not have awarded credit where credit is due, seeing as, I assume, very few people in that audiences are agitators for marching events... or arts events. I would be surprised if more than 1/5 of them even had any sort of scholarly background in music.

BD, RE:Rite of Spring. People I know really, really hated the show, but man when they come in with the main theme of Rite of Spring I just can't get enough. Constantly listen to that show. Madison '15 was one that I really harbor a special spot for as well. Not sure how everyone else took it, haven't seen anything much about it in writing or otherwise, but it's probably one of the most catchy shows out there. I love the groove.

Just for you :) Hop participated in a podcast run by two C2Pit guys today. Said that the show music would be dropped in the next 7-10 days to correspond with a donation drive.

ALLENTOWN SNOWCONE HYYYYPE

The first iteration was really incredible to me. When all the horn players dash onto the stage, shaking each other etc. Very powerful IMO, couldn't believe they changed it.

Every competing circuit needs a bottom rung, and I would respectfully point out that they're not even the bottom performing corps. When they were Open Class, they won a few times if memory serves. Having them WC doesn't really hurt anything. I'm not "claiming" anything, all this information is quite accessible.

And you are faultless for your preference in style of both show and uniform design. The Cadets uniform is on a level all its own, nobody can argue that.

If I had to pick the most obvious example-- Surf doesn't start their spring training until several weeks after most other corps because they're primarily geared towards high school students. They intentionally scoop up younger members, start later than everyone else, and have a slightly more relaxed schedule to allow for their kids to experience the places that they go etc etc... It's not designed to be a competitive program, at least not in the sense that the top corps are. It's just a way for high schoolers to get to say they were in DCI World Class, and they do what they do well considering these factors.

Ah crum.

-doy-

That video made me grow a sense of patriotism.

Nobody is saying that.

Being obstinate for ten pages will only get you so far (they don't even LOOK like cowboys!!!!) before somebody finally becomes annoyed. Fair enough. I wasn't familiar with this show, but even having seen it, I don't think my opinion changes. I believe, objectively, Crown's show was made much more immersive through the changing of their uniform's color in a way this show wasn't. Both are products of their times of course, but if I had to vote between the two it'd easily be the Crown show.

The uniforms were not meant to be reflective of cowboy attire, and I'm surprised that you're arguing from the angle that they were. I'll do my best to help you understand-- the design team for Crown over the last 3 years has clearly been using a template uniform whose color changes to match the mood or theme of the show. Some easy examples: red for hell, bright blue for sci-fi, and a dusty brown for the West. The color complimented the props, flags, and atmosphere of the story they were trying to tell. You seem to be arguing from the angle that the uniform was somehow a bad cowboy costume, which I can either interpret as you deliberately misrepresenting the corps to try to weasel your point in, or as you not having visited the eye doctor for the last several years (being that I assume you're a dinosaur, it's a 50/50 shot at which is the case). So, now we get into the meat of the conversation. Were Crown's uniforms "ineffective" when it came to portraying a wild west themed show? For that, we would have to compare their uniforms to others, and decide which would make more sense in that context. I'll make a simple chart for you so we can decide together. Which of the following is more effective in a "Wild West" themed show? Crown 2016 uniforms vs Crown 2015 uniforms vs Crown all-cream uniforms (circa 2012) vs Cadets M&G West Point uniforms vs The Academy's uniforms vs The Troopers' uniforms Hopefully you can follow my thought process in the selection of these uniforms for us to look at together. I first compare this year's uniform to last year's. They're both the same style with different colors. Did changing the color make the uniform more effective in this show? I argue that yes, it did. The dusty brown is much more reminiscent to an arid, western setting than blood red. I then compare this year's uniform to the "traditional look." Does the dust-colored costume work better in the context of the show than a monotone-cream band outfit? Personally, I think so, but if you feel like that's more western feel free to interject. Now we break into some more obvious ones. Obviously Cadets and Academy have very different uniforms, and I postulate that neither even have the capacity to do a Western show based on what they wear right now. You will insist that this is because I'm lacking in imagination, but we'll get to that in a bit. I threw in the Troopers because it seems like your argument is that "if the uniform REALLY fit the show, Crown would be dressed like cowboys, and that the only way for the uniform to fit the show is for these people to literally be dressed broadway style like cowboys." I think that's a silly argument, and I know you think so too, so why waste time and energy making it so that I have to refute it? I don't want to bother, but it's annoying that, in a conversation, you're constantly interjecting and putting things in other people's mouths that nobody is saying. You spent about 5 pages so far acting like people are saying things that they haven't. The whole crux of your argument is that "Crown did not dress like Cowboys and therefore their uniforms did not reflect their show theme." I think it's obvious that Crown tries to use color and minimal interjection to try to draw you into the story, and I think that's really cool. It's an effective strategy, and one that nobody has been complaining about for the last 3 years up till now. You further postulate that any uniform can be used for any show, with some imagination. I agree, but the effectiveness of that show is questionable. If I'm trying to make a show about the wild west, why would I use vibrant colors when I'm going for a more gritty angle? I wouldn't. It makes no sense. Every performing art that uses any visual elements whatsoever changes their costuming depending on their show. Dance, theater, all of them. There are only very rare exceptions (a la rockettes), and guess what? They put on pretty much the exact same show every single year because their military uniforms confine them to military movement. Yes, the rockettes could do a wild wild west show, but it wouldn't make much sense when they all look like a bunch of toy soldiers. I hope that this explanation of uniform colors, styles and their impact on show design has been helpful to you.

Really disappointed I didn't catch that video. I wasn't really interested in the show until I heard about how angry is was, now I can't wait to watch it.

Changing the uniform up is hardly comparable to throwing a baby in a dumpster, and I'm not sure it's very fair to say "the activity isn't about character development/training young folk" when the members are still (ask them yourself) getting positive experiences from it and growing as people. Even the Cadets director who's seen here as a bastion of all drum corps evil takes about an hour out of his day every camp to sit down with the corps and talk life. You somehow managed to pick what is, in my opinion, one of the best examples of a uniform fitting a show we've seen for the last 5 years.

Is it a symptom of DCI, or of what people expect when they go to see a musical arts performance?

Oh please.

Nobody disagreed with you the last 5 times you said it.

Really has the potential to be one of the most impressive uniforms in DCA. Can't wait to see it in the real world.

But to then react in a manner like this when the uniform changes? To akin it to "the death of the Cadets" (an actual quote from an alumnus) and to go on as if none of the traditions or accomplishments of the corps matter anymore because of a uniform update? It's an almost hilariously disproportionate response, especially when you consider that by no means do the Cadets NEED to rely on the store brand uniform style as their identity with such a fabled history. I challenge anybody here to find a field uniform whose last overhaul was 83 years ago.

That singing position is a bit nationalistic for my taste ;)

The secret is in the spandex!!