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ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar

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Posts posted by ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar

    So who will fall?

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Scouts have the most to prove with their newish design staff. Last year's finish -- after a slow start -- was a welcome surprise (to a lot of people, at least).

    Cavies and Phantom appear to be more solid than last year. I keep hearing good things about Blue Stars.

    IDK - Madison is the biggest unknown to me.

    2016 Uniform Thread

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    I am amazed by the darkness, the bizarreness, of the DCI uniforms so far revealed this year (minus Phantom.) Even Boston goes dark and then accents with contrasting white.

    The times we live in are rather depressed given the tragedies, the wars, the terrorism, the poor economy for the usual person, particularly the retirees and the recent college grads.

    In times gone by this is when the American arts gave rise to the great musicals and galas rather than the dark music and films we have today.

    Even Finding Dory is not as light as Fantasia.

    Uplifting arts? Perhaps of an another era. Seeking the beauty so many in WGI portray is not the thread most of the show designs and vesture DCI is imitating today but rather the culture of clinical depression and cynicism..

    I much prefer someone be challenged to portray and present this: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=a2eeae66c7&view=fimg&th=1556f5336b9e2603&attid=0.1&disp=emb&realattid=ii_1556f531b717bd1a&attbid=ANGjdJ90YCRi9ZArySaA-MeH-G1YKy2m8XpAKFFvQyiwzcst7gZqpHl8uiw_aWoiGKMvOI7GXuNzDVQoQy2Nr9Y9kxFWzwAw-kO3RIc4tWNuqODmGYnY9yyCHE0VxjI&sz=w1080-h760&ats=1466451594420&rm=1556f5336b9e2603&zw&atsh=1

    I fail to see how uniform colors are a reflection of society today.

    Anyway, if you want to get socio-political on it: we live in an era of on-demand/specialized entertainment. Your favorite genre of cat videos is a few clicks and key strokes away, and our children's most beloved entertainer is something called "PewDiePie" (I don't know who that is, but I already hate him).

    Even if today's media is objectively "darker" (which I would argue is not), I'll take something with darkness/depth over feel-good entertainment fodder.

    I would argue there was way more spectacle/variety in DCI through out the last 2-3 years than there was 10+ years ago.

    • Like 1

    Who are today's "stars"?

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar

    As far as MMs, BD snare Brandon Olander immediately comes to mind.

    Not too many drum corps performers get YouTube famous at 12, make BD's snareline at 16 (and this is after marching with the Academy's line), get featured on the CBS evening news and other national outlets like Modern Drummer, and win the snare I&E at 17 (he had two stick drops and still crushed his solo).

    http://www.moderndrummer.com/site/2015/11/on-the-beat-with-brandon-olander-of-the-blue-devils-drum-and-bugle-corps-worth-the-hard-work/

    Edit - here's a good video of his solo shot in 60 frames per second.

    • Like 1

    Southern Knights Passed Evaluation!

    in DCA - All-Age Corps Discussions

    Posted

    The Southern Knights, an All-Age corps from Birmingham, Al. has passed the DCI evaluation process for 2016! We are able to perform in regional DCI shows in the Southeast this summer.

    We are still waiting on our DCA determination for 2016. Hopefully that comes in soon... Fingers crossed :)

    Congrats!

    (I didn't know all-age corps needed to be evaluated to perform in DCI shows ... is this a new thing?)

    DCI Minnesota--Change of Plans

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Big income will trump PR for athletics every time

    I'll concede that any negative PR this athletic department gets is a drop in the bucket. But I don't see how a recruiting meet-and-greet equates to big income (maybe in the ultra-long term, but it's not like the coach was meeting with major donors).

    I totally agree with this. I read an article about it not long ago and thought to myself "sounds like their athletic department is trying to save face by supporting their new FB coach and by standing strong about the use of their facilities.

    Then I thought to myself, those facilities do NOT belong to athletics. They belong to the University and are only built with lots of cash coming from alumni and donors world wide. Athletics gets to use them, but often when these things are built, like FB stadiums, there are incentives and requirements for allowing other organizations to use those facilities. It helps to bring in more money. DCI would bring in way more money, as noted in the article, than this coach's football camp. It's just a stupid power play by a new coach who is trying to make a bold statement and a splash with the community and potential football recruits. He likely walked into his new job and thought that he owns the stadium and that it was ONLY built for him and his team. No doubt it's primary purpose is football, but I think UM would like to use it for many other reasons, and contract or no contract, shame on them (UM Admin) for not stepping in and setting their coach straight about a few things.

    Exactly. It should also be noted that 48% of the stadium's financing comes directly from the state.

    Again: DCI is not above criticism, but this whole situation stemmed from an amateurishly operated athletic department and a green coach on a power trip.

    Strib article on the reversal:

    http://www.startribune.com/drum-corps-show-will-go-on-university-of-minnesota-says/378348331/

    DCI Minnesota--Change of Plans

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    The reasoning with Minnesota is likely quite simple:

    1) the coach wanted his camp that particular weekend the DCI show as on

    2) DCI naively (stupidly?) didn't have a contract

    3) Minnesota dropped DCI in order to placate their football coach

    University Athletic Depart > outside event every day of the week

    Very likely, but it might have been different if this didn't involve a new coach, an interim AD, and an athletic department that's in shambles (as evidenced by the BS-artist former AD resigning in disgrace, an uphill battle for fundraising a massive athletic facility, donors vocally pulling their support for aforementioned project, constant scandals among the athletes ... not to mention underachieving revenue sports ... and these combined aren't even the tip of the iceberg of how inept this athletic department is).

    I'm not saying DCI is blameless -- Dan A. even acknowledged it in the article -- but this isn't the action of a university athletic department that has its #### together.

    • Like 3

    Scenario: Pick one video clip that showcases to a noob what DC is all

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar

    The gently comic early Fellini works have aged best. A lot of later Fellini, after 8 1/2 (1963), really is pretentious and inaccessible (Satyricon, for instance)--just the sort of thing that inspired this 1991 commercial:

    Sure, the attitude there is a bit vulgarian, like Britney Spears' infamous complaint ("Sundance is weird. The movies are weird--you actually have to think about them when you watch them."), but sometimes even a good artist goes off the rails and totally loses the audience in the course of his navel gazing.

    And BD's show, which is wonderful (although I liked both Crown and Bloo more in 2014), succeeds much more as pure drum corps than as anything really Felliniesque. The more that BD explained that show--or the more that Channel3 tries to advocate for it on these forums--the less interesting it seemed. As the old saying goes: trust the tale, not the teller.

    And we all know how Bud Dry captured America's heart :tounge2:

    I should have clarified: the redditor admitted that he had never seen a Fellini film. He just based his opinion of Fellini's works off of BD's show. So yeah ... vulgarian in the truest sense.

    To be fair: I'm not much of a Fellini expert myself. I've seen three of his films: Dolce Vita, 8 1/2, and Amarcord (which I enjoyed quite a bit, but not as much as the other two). I'm in no rush to watch his whole filmography, but I definitely wasn't bored by these three.

    I totally get where you're coming from, however. Some of the best auteurs aren't immune from making self-indulgent crap.

    Regarding BD 2014: 100 percent agreement. There's just something about the underlying emotions/attitude within the show that just charms the hell out so many who watch it.

    edit - formatting, grammar, everything.

    • Like 1

    Scenario: Pick one video clip that showcases to a noob what DC is all

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    I NEVER would've thought that a Fellini drum corps show would be as wildly accessible as BD's 2014 show is, but you're right. That production seemingly has it all: great design, audience-friendly, incredible execution all-around. When breaking it down that show really does feel like the gold standard of shows to show a newbie

    I got into an argument on the drumcorps sub-reddit with someone who kept lazily throwing labels like "pretentious" and "inaccessible" at BD 2014 (and Fellini films in general, for that matter).

    I'm feeling vindicated.

    DCI Minnesota--Change of Plans

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Slightly off-topic, but relevant: can anyone tell me why there hasn't been a DCI show at Camp Randall in years? The last show was a DCI Madison regional in 2008.

    I keep hearing how people would love to see DCI go back there, but has a local group reached out to UW? Is the climate within UW's athletic department less favorable to hosting a show compared to year's past?

    Don't get me wrong: I want some sort of DCI show back in Madison, but it wouldn't surprise me if there's a reason DCI hasn't gone back there.

    DCI Minnesota--Change of Plans

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar

    Ok, you go ahead and fork out the cash to lease that Pro NFL Stadium and I will be right there cheering you on!!

    http://www.usbankstadium.com/faq/

    "The MSFA will maximize the use of the stadium by attracting events that create economical, fiscal and social benefits to the State and local communities, including NCAA competitions, a Super Bowl, college bowl games, concerts, civic, community and not-for-profit events."

    It's owned/operated by the MFSA, not the Vikings. They are way more open to hosting events like this than you would think.

    Also:

    http://www.youthinmusic.org/

    • Like 2

    DCI Minnesota--Change of Plans

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    No. They can move it down the street to US Bank Stadium.

    I wouldn't mind seeing it move to the new NFL stadium.

    A new UofM athletic director isn't going to change the culture of incompetence/unaccountably in the department (the board of regents haven't helped things, either). Not having to deal of the UofM's BS would be a huge plus.

    That being said: I think the novelty would wear out fast for everyone involved (staff, members, fans), for these reasons:

    1) Parking would be more expensive and limited for fans.

    2) Fewer warm-up spots for corps.

    3) That section of downtown is kind of a crappy area. Lots of walking along some high-traffic areas to find a decent bar/restaurant. Campus/Dinkytown has more options and is a better/more open environment for a major drum corps show.

    I know a nearby park is in the works, as well as some other redevelopment in lieu of the Super Bowl coming, so maybe it might get better.

    4) Already been mentioned: indoor stadium. Even if the giant side doors are open, the acoustics will probably still be terrible.

    IDK ... I just want there to be a show. The audience is there.

    • Like 1

    DCI Minnesota--Change of Plans

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Minnesota doesn't deserve a major show like this. 2 years out of three, giving DCI the boot. DCI doesn't need that. There are plenty of other venues. Whitewater is another one.

    The U of M athletic department is a sorry mess right now, but Minnesota is turning into a growing hub for the activity in all forms -- scholastic marching band, college marching band, indoor drumline/guard, and especially drum corps. Saying it doesn't "deserve" a major show is pretty short-sighted.

    • Like 1
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