At what point and time did we lose Drum Corps

[Tom Brace]

The only problem is that DCI is going to the marching band capitol (Indiana) for a long while. There going to a place that will embrace the artsy way of doing things. I think for a good number of us who remember the rock concert feel of a drum corps show (Multiple ovations, roars, in your face music/solo work) are going to be hung out to dry........left in the dust.....lost in the sauce....... :(

Drum corps fan since 1982? Hey there newbie. (1968 here) Here's what you do. Go see any of the top 7 drum corps this year and then we can debate the apparent merit (because there isn't one) of your arguments.

I went to finals and other than one corps (Blue Knights and Cadets...sorry...didn't like it.) I loved the other corps blew me away. Their were several gfreat standing O moments. Madison as a venue added to it for sure and the semis priming of the pump with the Madison Alumni Project set the stage, but the top Div. I corps for the most part came out and rocked.

But thanks for adding to this trolls thread.

[Matt_S]

Again...my sense is Coop is a troll.

Throw a bunch of crap on the wall and then never show up in the thread again.

There's nothing to discuss here.

Drum corps is alive and people are paying to see it performed.

There and I didn't even say the "a word", the "m word" or the "n word."

I get the others, but what's the m word?

I don't think Coop's a troll, he doesn't remind me of anyone else on here. He gave us his background, gave us some shows that he does like, and then gave us some shows that he doesn't. I actually appreciate that approach. Yes, he did speak negatively about shows the past few years, and understandably that drew some heated responses from those who don't want to see this era denigrated, but there was nothing overtly offensive in Coop's post. I do wish that he would join in the discussion that he (she?) created though, as I'd like to hear more about his opinion. He seems to like a mix of old and new shows, and that has me curious.

Coop, this is my open invitation. Come on back, and let's chat.

[Tom Brace]

I get the others, but what's the m word?

I don't think Coop's a troll, he doesn't remind me of anyone else on here. He gave us his background, gave us some shows that he does like, and then gave us some shows that he doesn't. I actually appreciate that approach. Yes, he did speak negatively about shows the past few years, and understandably that drew some heated responses from those who don't want to see this era denigrated, but there was nothing overtly offensive in Coop's post. I do wish that he would join in the discussion that he (she?) created though, as I'd like to hear more about his opinion. He seems to like a mix of old and new shows, and that has me curious.

Coop, this is my open invitation. Come on back, and let's chat.

they are in order...

amps

microphones

narration

[Tom Brace]

btw, 7 pages and no coop back in the thread they started.

I can only assume they really weren't interested in debating the topic. Just troll flame bait and then disappear.

I hate threads like this.

[Tone Quality Matters]

I get the impression sometimes, especially in the offseason, that once a corps announces its show selection we the fans start to form certain expectations. Too often people will remark "I can't wait to see that song/piece on the field!", when what we should be looking forward to seeing is the full show that the corps is putting together.

Exccellent point Matt. It wouldn't be such a bad thing if corps didn't announce what they were doing during the off season. As I believe we are all guilty to some degree of prejudging a show before it is on the field and performed before an audience, wouldn't it be cool just to get a read on a show for the first time without having heard one comment on it?

[Matt_S]

Really, then, why bother saying you're playing "x"....just make everything "inspired by" or "ode to".

Very true, and I'd support corps choosing to announce just a show concept, rather than any pieces they've selected. Now, of course that information should still come out at some point, preferably during the season; after all they need to give credit where credit is due, and also provide exposure and awareness of the pieces they've selected for the audience to check out further. But in the offseason, I'd much rather hear people hype on the show, not the music selections.

People enjoy having certain point of reference they are familiar with...it's why people like Crown so much this year. Not because it's "unique"...very few drum corps shows are that. Most are a smash-up of other peoples ideas, songs and drill moves...and because of that, there are certain expectations that we have. That's just the corner DCI show design has painted itself into over the years..."we'll play these pieces you know...but arrange them so you have to hunt for them". :P

I'd rather they say "we'll play our show... you may recognize some pieces, and we'll tell you what we used so you can have a reference point in tracking down the original, but we want you to enjoy our show for what it is, not what it came from."

[MikeD]

Maybe, as you stated in another thread...we should have corps doing singular pieces to create a more cohesive whole in the design scheme we find ourselves in nowadays (it would work a lot better, IMO, in trying to capture a theme or thought process, to let artistic nuance be explored rather than GAK GAK!- horns play staccato stab-GAK...GAK! GAK!)... 11 minutes of Adams, Glass, Brubeck, Miles Davis, etc might fit better than playing eight bars of twenty different songs.

Why is there only ONE way to program a show? Personally, I love Crown and PR, but also BK and the Cadets...etc.

[Matt_S]

I went to finals and other than one corps (Blue Knights and Cadets...sorry...didn't like it.) I loved the other corps blew me away.

On top of that, I loved Blue Knights, and the Cadets' ballad one of the highlights of the season for me. IMO, today's drum corps has something for everyone.

[bawker]

Why is there only ONE way to program a show? Personally, I love Crown and PR, but also BK and the Cadets...etc.

There's always more than one way...but in the era of "audio/visual cohesiveness" that we live in, we haven't really moved too far beyond the opener-ballad-drums-closer concept (we've made more rococo in its arranging, though. :P)....but it seems like there is only "one" way of doing things for the sheets, though.

Just asking if we value intergration so much now in this modern age....why don't we shoot for the moon and program the music as eleven minute long pieces from a single composer/artist? Break the mold of "here's a, here's b." We see so many people want to set the activity on its ear, yet so few who actually do.

[Halcyon122]

Very true, and I'd support corps choosing to announce just a show concept, rather than any pieces they've selected. Now, of course that information should still come out at some point, preferably during the season; after all they need to give credit where credit is due, and also provide exposure and awareness of the pieces they've selected for the audience to check out further. But in the offseason, I'd much rather hear people hype on the show, not the music selections.

Isn't that sort of how the Cavaliers did it this year? I remember them saying that they were doing Billy Joel, but I never saw a list of the actual pieces until the season started...