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Way to go tonight Spirit! Keep up the hard work!!

We got to see Spirit 3X the last couple of weeks and boy, have my wife and I been blown away. The kids are SO pumped and the show is just outstanding. My daughter plays vibes in the pit and her best friend is marching trumpet and both are having a ball. My son is interning with the corps so its a faimily affair! It's what drum corps is meant to be! One question for the group though - does anyone besides me find it a little ironic that after Spriit was vilified as they were last year for introducing a bass guitar and string bass that this year we have corps with bass and lead guitars as well as sampling bass on their keyboards to fill in for maybe a weaker contra section than they would prefer? Guess thats the price of being an innovator! Keep it up Spirit!

I don't know that the south has the lock on heat. Anyone been to central CA in July? the year that finals were in Pasadena, my son was marching Bluecoats, the temp at their housing site when they were in the Clovis area was about 115 degrees. Yeah its drier but 115 is still HOT. AND the area they were in wouldn't know what a tree was if it snuck up and bit them in the a** Just part of the drum corps experience!

Thanks Tigger. Nice to hear something positive.

ROCK ON SPIRIT!!!!!!!!!!!! WAY TO GO!!!!! We need an emoticon with a bass guitar

My daughter and I saw that guy and wondered if it comes equipped with lights and a siren???

Good call.

Well said!!! And yes I have posted more than three times so I am going to get up and go find a life! Thank You!

Speaking only for myself (no I am not even remotely objective) the answer to the first question is "it depends." One of the main things that I have looked at when considering a change (in this case the electronics) is "do the kids buy into it?" I really do not care what other people think, whether they are just fams or drum corps alumnus or other parents such as myself, but I want to know that the kids int he corps, and not just mine, are really on board. Because that's what matters. We can discuss all day if this is change will have any more of a negative effect on the activity than any of the other previous changes that have been discussed ad nauseum. As has been pointed out repeatedly in other threads, everyone is entitled to their opinion regardless of background. One thing we can be assured of: Drum corps today is not like it was in the past and not like it will be in the future. But to assume all the change is bad or that it compromises the activity - well I guess that depends on your perspective. I have not been a big fan of the amplification and other innovations in DC. I do know that with amplification the contribution the pit instruments make CAN be more significant to the overall product. I know that with using narration or voice effects, it provides a different method of expression. And now with electronics, once again, a different voice or voices can be layered in. Am I more willing to buy into this because my kid is in the corps that is on the cutting edge of this (and taking the heat - I'll bet G Hopkins is appreciating the break for the time being)? Maybe. All I know is that when my daughter calls me (she's in the pit by the way) she is seriously jazzed about what they are doing and tells me that EVERYONE else in that corps is too. Enjoy the season!

Did you by chance see Cadets, Phantom's or Bluecoats shows the last year or so. They may not have had dancing bears but the actor part certainly fits.

This is really great. I love when changes get made and DC experts come out of the woodwork. And to make a comment like this, where its obvious that your opinion on the matter is worth more than the experince the corps members have, is astonishing. A previous post commented about "Spirit slipping this through" or something similar. Do you honestly beleive that in a group such as the DCI BOD, knowing how controversial this would be did not discuss the possibilities and contingencies. I guess I really do have more faith in these folks to weigh these questions out with knowledge that the dialog as has been produced on this string has evidenced. If you want to gripe about the fact that a rues were implemented or changed express your opinions to the folks who put these rules into place. And in the meantime, while you are expressing your dispeasure with electronics be sure to include, amps, mikes, etc., as well as props and anything else on the field that is not horns, percussion and standard guard equipment (flags, swords, rifles). But get off the corps themselves and for certain the kids. Those of you who marched at some point in the past would not have appreciated if some of the things said here had been said about your corps. So lets put on our big boy pants/big girl panties and move on to something constructive.

Agreed. I believe the use of synth or other electronics is like any other instrument. If the corps has done their homework and prep you don't hear any one specific instrument. You hear the ensemble and THAT's the name of the game.

ROCK ON SPIRIT!!! Crank it up and rip off the knob!!!

Irregardless of what our opinions are or how we "define" drum corps. There are some really interesting things happening here, and these are in no particular order: 1) The night of and the day after a standstill show - no one even marched this thing - Spirit is one of the the most talked about corps in DCI. And, no doubt, there will be a few fans come out to see what all the hoopa is about that might not have otherwise seen Spirit's show 2) As several folks have pointed out, the bass part is the bass part. It is a separate part as is the Contra part. 3) Yes, its a rock show. As such the bass fits (fortunately its now legal in DCI). It is also a show which utilizes music from the band Kansas so the use of the string bass is totally in line. Could these parts have been recreated with horns/other instruments? - maybe but these provide a different "voice" unlike that produced by other instruments. 4) The corps members are TOTALLY JAZZED about the show - there is no problem with "buy in." 5) While a few references were made to amplification it's interesting that not virtually ALL the corps use it and it is more or less a non-issue. So will this be in a couple fo years. 6) Onced again, we are blessed to have a forum where everyone can express their opinion Is this a great activity or what?? Go Spirit!!!

Well everything is just higher in California !!

Well, one things that's changed - checked the price of tickets lately? Yowee! But yes, I do think they (fans) and we (DC enthusiasts), have both changed. A lot.

Don't know. I do know he chipped a tooth last week which hurt like heck and he was practicing zoned out on pain meds and still played better than a lot of players firing on all their pistons!!

Cool - and check out the drum set player. He's pretty awsome - and his dad is an Olympic gold medalist in Boxing! Plus holds some other national titles in the sport.

I think its fantastic that we can start the new season out right off the bat with situations that prompt folks to express their likes and dislikes, opinions, perceptions, biases and so on. Obviously for the DC purists, any thing that is added that is not brass or a conventional percussion instrument is a detraction from the activity. My opinion (OK, here we go), is than in an activity where we need to grow the fan base, i.e. outside of the tried and true DC fans, if, within reason, a component is added that adds to their enjoyment of the show then so be it. The ONLY things constant in this world is 1) change and 2) people will gripe about it I beleive we need to worry ourselves less with the fact that a corps has elected to use amps, miking (although I wasn't a fan of some of the stuff Cadets have done the last couple of years - oops, an opinion) and now synthesizers and bass guitars and focus more on the fact that the corps members are having a great experience and that the crowds see a good show. And hopefully feel they are getting their money's worth. But then again this is all IMHO.

AMEN!

No doubt lots of folks will flame on the electic bass guitar and stand-up bass that Spirit is using but given the show it fits well. Plus the music is awsome and a LOT of fun. Don't know what the judges will think but it will be a crowd pleaser (well maybe not those dyed in the wool DC fans that have difficulty embracing change ) Go Spirit!

OK, one more and then I'll leave this alone. . . I went back and looked at the last few recaps. Spirit probably lost at least .5 point, maybe more because of this. This would have put them over Colts yesterday and possibly even Crossmen. Given the race for 12th right now this was ill-timed. But. . . . stuff happens. It was still awsome to see them break 80 last night! Go Spirit!!

The drum judge not showing up certainly affected Spriit's scores since there overall percussion scores have been the highest of all their cations. They certainly lost a few points overall because of this - points they didn't need to lose right now. Bummer

Wow, great information. Pretty sure even the most experienced directors and tour managers could learn a lot from this. Thanks very much for sharing your insight!

I believe they have 12 members in the pit