DCI & DCA the best and not-so-best from the stands

[wishbonecav]

A view from the stands at DCI and DCA.

In a non-scientific observation of a group of 8,000 drum corps fans in Pasadena (DCI Quarterfinals) and a group of 8,000 drum corps fans in Rochester (DCA Finals), I was able to draw the following conclusions when it comes to delivery of product and audience response...

AND given the assumption that someone standing while clapping, cheering, whistling or yelling is a person who has just seen something worth standing, clapping, cheering, whistling or yelling about;

Here's what I came up with:

The most dramatic, positive and prolonged reactions from the audience were granted to performances by:

1. Blue Devils (off the chart)

2. The Cadets (off the chart)

3. Madison Scouts (two standing o's during the performance, just about throwing babies at the end, bigger response than Cavies)

4. Cavaliers

5. Carolina Crown

6. Regiment

7. Troopers (yes, more than Vanguard, et al)

8. Academy (yes, more than the other 7-12 Finalists)

1. Empire Statesmen (off the chart, almost ridiculous)

2. Buccaneers (off the chart, appreciation of excellence)

3. Caballeros

4. Renegades

5. Crusaders (watch the dvd and listen for the response, standing o Saturday & Sunday)

6. Music City Legend (proving that when you perform effect, it gets the desired result)

Even if the corps was already "slotted", it appeared that the audience members wanted to root for the corps that were listed. In Madison's case, the underdog role played into the emotion. Same with Music City Legend.

For the Troopers and Caballeros, the flavors of tradition may have added to the connection.

For Academy, the throwback style of programming may have been the catalyst. Or, maybe, they were embraced because they were new (though newbies in DCI have often met with the opposite treatment).

For Renegades, it was that horn line!

For Empire , it was Empire.

Cavies, Crown, Regiment and Buccaneers, it was excellence.

For BD and Garfield it was excellence bordering on the absurd.

The corps that generated a response NOTEWORTHY in its indifference:

1. Crossmen (an extreme example)

2. Seattle Cascades

3. Brigadiers

4. Mandarins (big show, big corps, written beyond capability to generate response, imo)

5. Kilts

...the corps getting the least response played the shows that were least musically accessible.

Crossmen and Brigadiers had almost the SAME show CONCEPT...kind of a "greatest hits" deal.

Now, I like Crossmen. I have their 90's CD in my car. I can name the tunes without looking them up on corpsreps. And I heard them ALL in the medley that took up the first 4 1/2 minutes of the show. But it seemed the staff wrote the show for only CROSSMEN people at the exclusion of everyone else.

Well you just "DIDN'T GET IT." Didn't get what? This show was shocking to me, mostly for the amount of reaction it DIDN'T receive.

Same with Brigadiers. Shocking in the lack of response at the end. When the Brigs played to emotion, THEY GOT IT! The ballad worked! But the balance of the show...the bookends...the invitation (opener) and the culmination (uh...the closer)...left it so very flat, flat, flat. Not my OPINION, my OBSERVATION.

Cascades. What if I brought a rookie to a drum corps show and could ONLY show them ONE CORPS? Seeing Seattle, they might say "...that was 'nice'", or "...it was 'interesting'", but they'd probably take a pass if I ever invited them again. Would it hurt to play a melody?

So what conclusions can I draw? As a fan? As a critic? As a customer?

The fact that there were 14 standout, off the chain, get-up-and-dance corps in the top-tier 2007 offering means that alot of people are doing alot of things right.

I like that.

Out of 34 open-class corps, the audience went just about ballistic nearly half of the time. And there were only a few bombs. And, the neat part about DRUM CORPS is that the corps that kinda bombed are corps that have CHAMPIONSHIP RESUME'S...which means they'll be back.

I like that, too.

So, now that 2007 is over, I get to look forward to next season.

So do you!!!

Edited September 21, 2007 by wishbonecav

[KeithHall]

Joey,

Man you can write! Really nice job! I think you should meet with Steve Vickers and Mike Boo...seriously!

A view from the stands at DCI and DCA.

In a non-scientific observation of a group of 8,000 drum corps fans in Pasadena (DCI Quarterfinals) and a group of 8,000 drum corps fans in Rochester (DCA Finals), I was able to draw the following conclusions when it comes to delivery of product and audience response...

AND given the assumption that someone standing while clapping, cheering, whistling or yelling is a person who has just seen something worth standing, clapping, cheering, whistling or yelling about;

Here's what I came up with:

The most dramatic, positive and prolonged reactions from the audience were granted to performances by:

1. Blue Devils (off the chart)

2. The Cadets (off the chart)

3. Madison Scouts (two standing o's during the performance, just about throwing babies at the end, bigger response than Cavies)

4. Cavaliers

5. Carolina Crown

6. Regiment

7. Troopers (yes, more than Vanguard, et al)

8. Academy (yes, more than the other 7-12 Finalists)

1. Empire Statesmen (off the chart, almost ridiculous)

2. Buccaneers (off the chart, appreciation of excellence)

3. Caballeros

4. Renegades

5. Crusaders (watch the dvd and listen for the response, standing o Saturday & Sunday)

6. Music City Legend (proving that when you perform effect, it gets the desired result)

Even if the corps was already "slotted", it appeared that the audience members wanted to root for the corps that were listed. In Madison's case, the underdog role played into the emotion. Same with Music City Legend.

For the Troopers and Caballeros, the flavors of tradition may have added to the connection.

For Academy, the throwback style of programming may have been the catalyst. Or, maybe, they were embraced because they were new (though newbies in DCI have often met with the opposite treatment).

For Renegades, it was that horn line!

For Empire , it was Empire.

Cavies, Crown, Regiment and Buccaneers, it was excellence.

For BD and Garfield it was excellence bordering on the absurd.

The corps that generated a response NOTEWORTHY in its indifference:

1. Crossmen (an extreme example)

2. Seattle Cascades

3. Brigadiers

4. Mandarins (big show, big corps, written beyond capability to generate response, imo)

5. Kilts

...the corps getting the least response played the shows that were least musically accessible.

Crossmen and Brigadiers had almost the SAME show CONCEPT...kind of a "greatest hits" deal.

Now, I like Crossmen. I have their 90's CD in my car. I can name the tunes without looking them up on corpsreps. And I heard them ALL in the medley that took up the first 4 1/2 minutes of the show. But it seemed the staff wrote the show for only CROSSMEN people at the exclusion of everyone else.

Well you just "DIDN'T GET IT." Didn't get what? This show was shocking to me, mostly for the amount of reaction it DIDN'T receive.

Same with Brigadiers. Shocking in the lack of response at the end. When the Brigs played to emotion, THEY GOT IT! The ballad worked! But the balance of the show...the bookends...the invitation (opener) and the culmination (uh...the closer)...left it so very flat, flat, flat. Not my OPINION, my OBSERVATION.

Cascades. What if I brought a rookie to a drum corps show and could ONLY show them ONE CORPS? Seeing Seattle, they might say "...that was 'nice'", or "...it was 'interesting'", but they'd probably take a pass if I ever invited them again. Would it hurt to play a melody?

So what conclusions can I draw? As a fan? As a critic? As a customer?

The fact that there were 14 standout, off the chain, get-up-and-dance corps in the top-tier 2007 offering means that alot of people are doing alot of things right.

I like that.

Out of 34 open-class corps, the audience went just about ballistic nearly half of the time. And there were only a few bombs. And, the neat part about DRUM CORPS is that the corps that kinda bombed are corps that have CHAMPIONSHIP RESUME'S...which means they'll be back.

I like that, too.

So, now that 2007 is over, I get to look forward to next season.

So do you!!!

[wishbonecav]

Thanks for that nice compliment, Keith.

I always want to be careful and not push the envelope too far...where it becomes more of an ego trip than a conversation.

The thing about our community is, I think the members can spot insincerity a mile away. And they have corrected me when I may have gone a little too far.

But they are also quick to compliment when you get it right , like calling Bushwackers the top color guard at DCA Prelims. ("Overall: Guard just might take home some hardware if they can find the emotion to go with the technique") That was kinda cool. :)

As long as we can talk about ideas and share the experience, to me that's really positive.

See you in Tampa?

Amazing how this bug bites you and doesn't ever let go.

[KeithHall]

Thanks for that nice compliment, Keith.

I always want to be careful and not push the envelope too far...where it becomes more of an ego trip than a conversation.

The thing about our community is, I think the members can spot insincerity a mile away. And they have corrected me when I may have gone a little too far.

But they are also quick to compliment when you get it right , like calling Bushwackers the top color guard at DCA Prelims. ("Overall: Guard just might take home some hardware if they can find the emotion to go with the technique") That was kinda cool. :)

As long as we can talk about ideas and share the experience, to me that's really positive.

See you in Tampa?

Amazing how this bug bites you and doesn't ever let go.

You coming to Tampa?

[Liam]

3. Madison Scouts (two standing o's during the performance, just about throwing babies at the end, bigger response than Cavies)

Even if the corps was already "slotted", it appeared that the audience members wanted to root for the corps that were listed. In Madison's case, the underdog role played into the emotion.

I agree. Also, Madison had the coolest opening to show that I have seen in years (ever?) with the singing and then the vertical company front moving across the field and dropping people off at each year line. So that just grabbed the crowd right from the beginning and never let go. Great design for the crowd -- typical Madison.

I wanted to disagree with your Crossmen take, but I couldn't really remember anything specific about their show -- which I guess makes your point !!! :) (I do remember liking them though, so no offense intended :) )

Sorry I responded to the DCI side of things in this DCA forum, but nice opening post -- I'd like to hear other takes on the DCA shows and crowd reactions as I was not able to make it!!!!