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Everything posted by perc2100
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IDK, I kinda adore that ballad, and the visual presentation that went along with it. I've heard from many who marched in 1991 how many boo's they received in some towns (coughTheSouthcough) over the end of that ballad 'story' and the coupling. I dig that show and agree that's it a bit of an underrated Cadets classic (that must've been hell to perform as a snare drummer, with a tenor harness sitting pretty high-up to clear the snare harness that rode a big low). Honestly, I feel like Cadets from, like, 1982 through the early/mid 00's was one banger of a show after another; even their 'missteps' were adventurous and I often 'respected' their designs years I didn't like them
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Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Sure; I'm just pointing out that Star wasn't necessarily run as a "throw money at everything!" drum corps the way some people may have thought. Yes, they had money, and viable investments, but they also spent wisely to minimize costs -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Not only that, they were more frugal than I think the average fan knew: used the same 2-valve horns their entire existence, and their "different uniforms every year," with some exceptions, were mostly just adding a bit of fabric here or there, changing gauntlets or shakos, etc. They had resources and also spent wisely -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
FWIW I've had some students recently who went from SCVC (where they were talented but true drum corps rookies) to the SCV in the percussion section: maybe it's just a legit talent factor. I mean, if you have the talent at your feet to choose from as caption heads, why not go with the best? Also, at least one I can think of off the top of my head auditioned for the A corps, and was 'placed' in SCVC where they won Open Class, then went and marched the A corps the next season. -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Right, I forgot about Blue Stars as well (though the mid-1980's was before my drum corps-following time). They did a great job of reorganizing and gradually making their way back first as a successful A60 corps (I do remember when they were perennial A60 Champ contenders - I remember when they were duking it out w/Div 2 Limited Edition in 1989, with both corps playing Carmina Burana), then back to Open/World Class status, and now perpetual Finalists. Another good example of a corps successfully reorganizing financially and returning, thanks for the reminder! -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Oh yeah, good point! They've been such a solid corps the last several seasons I totally forgot they took 2006 off! That year off seemed to be great for them. Not only have they not placed as low as they did in 2005 (22nd), but: * five seasons before they took a year of: average placement = 21 * five seasons immediately after coming back from a year off = 15 With two finalists placements in the 14 years since their return (including a 12th place finish their third season back: their first Top 12 Finalist finish since 1986)! -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
So who can tell us what the most successful corps is that's taken a year off and come back? Is there a current corps now that took a year or two off to reorganize and sustained viability? I know Magic of Orlando took two years off and came back immediately into Finals (after having to compete in Open Class throughout the season: the only corps to win Open Class, then make Finals later that week IIRC), but they couldn't sustain and were only to field a corps for 5 years when they returned (only 2 of which made Finals). I can't think of a more successful story of a corps coming back from a year or two off, and certainly no corps that came back and returned to financial stability long-term. As mentioned, WGI groups do this relatively frequently, especially guards, so maybe this is a more financially stable/viable alternative for DCI corps in the future: a 'one year off/two years on' kind of business model, perhaps. IDK; I'm trying to think of a positive outcome for SCV here from a historical perspective. Obviously has lived by their name, being at the vanguard/forefront of the activity so if any corps can defy history it's SCV. -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
And this isn't a new thing. I've known ladies who were rejected from a certain Top 12 Illinois drum corps in the early 90's for being above the weight requirement; and conversely others who were rejected for being below the height requirement. I've heard stories (from members AND instructors) of this happening in the 00's as well. Corps who have the luxury of having 1000 people coming to audition for 75 open spots want to take the perfect rookies. I'm not saying that's right, but that's reality (and, some of those corps won multiple championships with that ethos, so I'm sure those staffers would say that WAS right for that moment) -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
In San Diego many of the local theater programs, even the 'big' ones that develop Tony-winning Broadway shows, have a ton of community outreaches, education programs, etc. Most drum corps: not-so-much (or at all?) -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Right, there was at least another corps in 2022 that was looking for housing that week, and even pre-COVID housing with schools could be difficult to come by. By no means am I an insider, and I don't want to imply such; that being said, the fact that even I know that housing is problematic (and, to be fair was problematic/sometimes difficult to find when I marched drum corps in the late 1990's) leads me to think this is a substantial hurdle. I know the school district I work in has increased their requirements of outside groups that want to book facilities in the COVID age, and I've been told those restrictions will likely increase rather than decrease over time, making it difficult/impossible for what amounts to a traveling young adult roadshow to find cheap housing that suits all the needs a modern DCI corps has. -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Right, and since many drum corps don't exactly have a big local footprint, it's even harder to solicit donations. I grew up outside of a big city, in a suburb. They were incredibly supportive of their local band programs, but trying to solicit donations for drum corps was impossible: they (strangers who would/did give, say, $100 to a local marching band student in September) were perplexed at the thought of me asking them to donate money for an out-of-state/non-local drum and bugle corps. And that was in the mid-1990's, when the economic situation wasn't as questionable as it is nowadays. -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
And hard to come by in 2022. SCV, in fact, was having problems finding housing for the San Diego show three days out last summer -
Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread
perc2100 replied to Toby's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
DCI being in Indiana for the last decade+ does not benefit CA corps who have to travel across the country for big regionals & finals, then all the way back, _EVERY_ year. Same with WGI. There's a WGI model for units that take a year off to fundraise, then go back and compete for a year or two or three, then take a year off to fundraise, etc. When I was following WGI a lot more than I do now, I remember even Pride of Cincinnati, located about an hour's drive from UD Arena where WGI Finals is, have taken a year off here and there to remain financially solvent. Perhaps that'll be the 'new' trend in DCI, especially for corps who have to travel significant amounts across the country every year. -
Yeah it seems at worst people could call BAC a cool 'nickname' for the corps: like a Cleveland Indians fan might call them The Tribe even though there are likely no mentions of that designation on their MLB website. Who cares if fans or alumni want to call their favorite corps by a nickname they like?
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Electronics, Costumes, Tarps, and Props...
perc2100 replied to garfield's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
OK, I'll bite. I'm a HS music teacher, father or two (one a frosh in HS), and 40. I marched DCI WC drum corps in the late 90s and have been a DCI fan since I learned of its existence in 1990 when I was a frosh in HS. LOVE shows from the 80s, early-mid 90s, etc. I wouldn't call myself a dinosaur per say, but I have an affection for shows that were performed long before I knew what DCI is (there are some 70s shows I also like, but not nearly as many as 80s-on). Now that we got my perspective out of the way... Right now there are not a lot of audiences who want to see simple marching/playing/spinning on the field anymore: audience want to see some sort of big production of music, visual (not just marching or equipment work). Audiences want multi-media stuff, they want pop-culture references, they want circus-type environment. If you see any sort of big summer concert, music is not just a band plugged into amps and doing their thing: there are screens, lighting coordination, maybe lasers and smoke or fire, etc. We still have traditional symphonies, but many of them also incorporate modern "awe" factors into their shows (maybe not every weekend, but at times they'll show stuff on screens behind the symphony, do a multi-media type thing or educational "lecture" type of thing during a performance, etc). Even at the dawn of, say, 'moving pictures' before color or sound movie exhibitors added live music accompaniment to make the pictures more exciting, even when the pictures were cool space locations, gun fighting, train wrecks, etc. The audience currently seems to want big productions, and that's what DCI is providing them. Synths and speakers to give the sound more depth or interesting alternative music effects (such as sampled dialogue from a movie or other cool FX); props to enhance a visual idea more or to just flat-out entertain (like Bluecoats did last year); maybe we'll eventually see coordinated lighting effects or screens used to display imagery during a show. In answer to your question I would say no, it's not enough. That's not what the kids see on TV watching musical programs, that's not what kids see at HS marching band competitions or WGI events. It's what they likely expect out of modern DCI. It seemed last summer Bluecoats were almost undisputed crowd favorites not just because they performed well, but because they performed well AND had those crazy ramps to up the entertainment value. As with anything, sometimes this stuff works (2016 Bluecoats) and sometimes it doesn't work as well (2016 Cadets w/the statue guys on wedding cakes or whatever ). That can be said about ALL elements of a DCI show, only in these cases far easy-to-indentafy aspects other than, say, percussion arrangements. We've always taken the good with the bad though. And when this stuff works well it works amazing for the audience. I'd personally MUCH prefer the "cheese" or "goofiness" or whatever adjective used to describe Bluecoats 2016 than the same cheese and goofiness for Phantom 08. One, IMO, was far more inspiring and original, and one felt like clown-hand GE. -
FWIW as early as last spring The Cadets new they were having MAJOR visual issues and were trying to rectify it. I don't think things worked out as they had hoped (and I know they were unable to land the Vis. cleaner they were hoping for), but the problem has been known for 6+ months. I'm hoping with summer + fall Cadets were able to find their team and things will improve drastically now that that team will have the entire winter to build their program/fundamentals/basics/etc. It's easy to point to, say, last year's design and right off a lot due to that: but crystal-clean vis execution is a big component (have the Vis. sheets) and with that Cadets could excel in 2017. We'll find out by June how the new team is working
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As I've gotten older I've come to really respect what creators choose to "accept" as far as others doing their work or arrange for completely different situations. The Bernstein Estate is not licensing his movie to make tons of money in commercial settings, thus cheapening The Maestro's work: they are merely striving to ensure his work is only allowed to be played in ways they think are positive to the original, or in the spirit of the original. Would they approve a swing version of Mass? Maybe if the arrangement were off the hook and inspiring, but I suspect not. I think, if I may be so bold, they'll generally approve good stuff, and reject the not-great stuff. As a fan of Bernstein's music, I can respect that, and know that if I'm seeing an orchestra do his music, it won't be chopped up or feel "wrong." The thing we forget sometimes in this activity (and WGI, BOA, etc) is that while art is a subjective thing there are a myriad of shows that worked on paper, but not necessarily in execution: we remember the amazing Cadets of the early 80s who made Bernstein's music come alive on a football field. We forget the countless other hacks who have tried and failed miserably to go their own direction and failed, who butchered The Maestro's work, who's reinterpretation feel flat and felt like a hot mess, etc. Heck, even when Cadets, or Kiwanis Kavaliers, or Blue Devils, or even Stan Kenton or Buddy Rich did their own versions of West Side Story, they all felt true to the spirit of the original (and were done incredibly well). Heck, Cadets 1994 was a "modernized" version in visual interpretation but still very true to the original music; when BD mashed it up with Rome & Juliet it was not only a great mix of WSS and the story it was inspired by, but again the music was pretty true to the original. Kiwanis Kavaliers did their take, visually similar to Cadets 94, but with Stan Kenton's arrangements: again true to the original and spirit. These are all winner that excelled at doing their own thing with WSS: there are too many, though, that have failed and that apparently makes the difference for the Bernstein Estate: and they'd obviously rather be picky than let garbage fly under the name of The Maestro.
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Hearing Cadets 86 show in the early 1990s made me seek out ON THE WATERFRONT, and the film blew me away as much as the music does. I'd be curious to see what modern Cadets would do with that music (I agree that I'm also not a fan of rehashes, but in this case I think it could work out splendidly for Cadets!)
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Finals DVD/BR Viewing: Some Thoughts
perc2100 replied to mjoakes's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
I appreciate your comments. I have only watched those shows one time, on the Finals live stream. In regards to your comments about Bluecoats (and everyone), I think a show like that is meant to mostly be a one-time consumption: as are most shows, I suspect. I know the judging community would see their show several times over the summer, and fans that live more central to the DCI Tour or who travel a lot will see more nuance or whatnot. But I think in general these shows might not be meant to be scrutinized after-the-fact, and are designed more to be a visceral, in-the-moment type of performance experience. Obvious and incredible design and performance will hold up splendidly, but I think in general these things are mostly best to enjoy live and not to over-analyze too much (unless, say, you're actively attempting to look for nuance, or seek explanations to subtle design bits, etc). -
Finals DVD/BR Viewing: Some Thoughts
perc2100 replied to mjoakes's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
I agree; I think that type of thing has been traditionally staged in the front ensemble area, so having the string soloist staged on the field to attempt to create something more interesting visually is compelling. I don't recall their show too much so I don't remember if those soloists (trumpet & violin) interacted with other characters, did a lot of posing and such, etc. I assume they likely did but don't remember how effective it was -
Yeah, especially when membership #s of a good, legit choir would suck away membership #s of a brass line, percussion section, and guard.
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Just like literally EVERY aspect of drum and bugle corps, no?
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"Clash of the Corps" Episode Discussion
perc2100 replied to barigirl78's topic in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
I think, like most 'pilot' episodes, this was all set-up: here are the characters, here's a broad sense of what they do & the challenges they'll be struggling with, etc. Most series barely resemble their pilot, as the show develops over time. Heck, over a long-termish documentary (filmed over the course of the year or several years) the characters/situations can radically change. I think this is meant to intro the 'main players' and used Spring Training to do that, while the real 'drama' and fun will come from going on the road, ups/downs of tour & performance highs & lows, etc. I was pretty surprised about how quickly they seemed to push through spring training until I realized they're setting up the characters more than the activity. Right now it's not that important to the audience to take a quarter or more of the first episode to walk people through the activity: the main audience won't care about the nuance and stuff that we do. What is 100% paramount is that they spend the bulk of time setting up the characters, the feelings, etc. And I think this episode to a good job with that. Doing a docu-series on just ONE corps would be difficult to 'cram' all the elements of drum corps AND characters: doing two is really tough. I really dug the obvious contrasts in corps' teaching styles/philosophies, staff/member approach to the activity, etc. None of this is a shock to us (2016 BD pretty laid back?! Cadets struggling out of the gun?!). I think THAT more than anything else is the key to drawing people in. Showing folks there are substantial differences from corps-to-corps and that not all 'marching bands' are created equal will make for intriguing viewing. FWIW students I talked to where I teach loved it: they know very little of drum corps but seemed to get into this.- 540 replies
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