A question to the members of the Cadets of the last few years

[2000Cadet]

Thanks for running a little interference for me, Robert...

Guys, relax. I'm not attacking you or your corps. But I am speaking from my personal experience, conversations I've had with members, staff, etc. over the years. And just impressions I get when reading posts on the forum here. Again, I think the word "controversial" gets used a little carelessly here. And there are drum corps that think -- and take pride in to some degree -- they are being controversial. I don't see anything controversial in drum corps. Never have. I just see groups trying to be creative and push an activity along. Some things work and some don't. (And that's all a matter of opinion.)

And just because someone posts their thoughts on a subject here, don't tell them to "figure it out", and ask them where they marched, and if they have any clue.

And, yes, it is just drum corps. As you get older, you'll gain some perspective...

Thanks for reminding me why I don't post on this forum often. Good luck to all corps in '08!

Actually, I am 27 years old so I have quite a bit of perspective on it being "just drum corps." I love drum corps, have always loved it and will continue to love it. That term "just drum corps" just seems disrespectful and belittles the activity in my opinion. It's bad enough that when this activity is shown to someone who has never heard of it, they don't really see any significance in it. I don't think we need anyone who knows about this activity calling it "just drum corps." So in your opinion, it may be "just drum corps", but not everyone thinks the same as you.

[silvertrombone]

O...M...G--where did you get that???

Thanks...I knew someone had to like it

Hey, I've said lots of good things about 06 Cadets! I actually 'got' it from first viewing--just a big step down in quality from 05 in terms of performance...the show itself was fun!

But I saw Star's show every year Star performed, and I saw them in the mid-west and East (I am from WV). First of all, they were NOT booed everywhere. The midwest crowds were by FAR the most rude, and I was a show where they were booed. It was embarrassing. Eastern crowds did NOT treat Star the same way.

Hey, we cheered them like stark, raving lunatics at Finals in Dallas...probably because most of us in the crowd were complete noobs who didn't know any better and thought it was ALL great stuff!

But you're right...92 1/4's, semis and finals was a completely different story. And sadly, I belonged to one of the two corps later whose fans were the worst towards Star. Poor guys...they should have done the East and West coast tours just to get away from the midwestern haters.

Where's MedeaBrass? He has some good/funny stories to tell! Tells one about being in the Texas A&M Aggie Band and Star simultaneously. "One organization whose enemies respected us, and one whose own hometown fans boo'ed us!"

Yikes!!

[euponitone]

Hey, I've said lots of good things about 06 Cadets! I actually 'got' it from first viewing--just a big step down in quality from 05 in terms of performance...the show itself was fun!

Thats what I've said for years.... the show wasnt that weird... we just werent as good. I think people just use it and the relatively poor placement as a justification for amp bashing and such...

[usmcontra]

They were no more loved this year than they were any other. Star hatred was alive and well in 1992.

The first time I heard Star booed was at the Preview of Champions in '92 in Tennessee.

[Cainan]

The first time I heard Star booed was at the Preview of Champions in '92 in Tennessee.

I remember that. I was embarrased!

[madscout96]

Ok, my turn to "caption it".

Can you guess which one is the theme park character???

[dc oldtimer]

The only thing "controversial" about any of the shows the Cadets do, in my opinion, is the use of props. Yes, I consider mics a prop. Yes, pink tables are props. Doors are props. Guards moving tables around the field are not marching. Rifles changing uniforms in the middle of field for 5 minutes during a show is not performing. Asking a fire department to sound their sirens during a show is not "performing" a show..... I can go on but you get the picture.

I certainly have had issues with Cadet shows in the past, but there is one thing for sure that I agree with. Their members perform the heck out of whatever show I have seen them perform over the last several years. Once I look past the "stuff" I truely do enjoy most of what is done on the field. It's just too bad some of that talent isn't seen or heard by some people because of all the other stuff going on on the field.

I never boo. I've been on the recieving end of booing and it ain't pretty. But I do respecfully disagree which I hope is still acceptable in this activity.

[euponitone]

The only thing "controversial" about any of the shows the Cadets do, in my opinion, is the use of props. Yes, I consider mics a prop. Yes, pink tables are props. Doors are props. Guards moving tables around the field are not marching. Rifles changing uniforms in the middle of field for 5 minutes during a show is not performing. Asking a fire department to sound their sirens during a show is not "performing" a show..... I can go on but you get the picture.

I certainly have had issues with Cadet shows in the past, but there is one thing for sure that I agree with. Their members perform the heck out of whatever show I have seen them perform over the last several years. Once I look past the "stuff" I truely do enjoy most of what is done on the field. It's just too bad some of that talent isn't seen or heard by some people because of all the other stuff going on on the field.

I never boo. I've been on the recieving end of booing and it ain't pretty. But I do respecfully disagree which I hope is still acceptable in this activity.

Actually, when the hornline moved the tables we did have to 'march'. and no...it was not fun. Nothing like keeping tempo in your feet and marching with straight legs, carrying a tuba in one hand and a pink table in the other with 3 other people dragging you around, trying to make the table hit a dot. I'm not saying it was an awesome idea, but it was marching, it was hard, and it was a pain in the ###.

Jeff Sacktig - Irwin PA, 2006

"DO YOU WANNA RUN WITH THE BENCHES.....ILL MAKE YOU F-ING DO LAPS WITH THOSE BENCHES!!!!"

Edited April 11, 2008 by euponitone

[2000Cadet]

The only thing "controversial" about any of the shows the Cadets do, in my opinion, is the use of props. Yes, I consider mics a prop. Yes, pink tables are props. Doors are props. Guards moving tables around the field are not marching. Rifles changing uniforms in the middle of field for 5 minutes during a show is not performing. Asking a fire department to sound their sirens during a show is not "performing" a show..... I can go on but you get the picture.

I certainly have had issues with Cadet shows in the past, but there is one thing for sure that I agree with. Their members perform the heck out of whatever show I have seen them perform over the last several years. Once I look past the "stuff" I truely do enjoy most of what is done on the field. It's just too bad some of that talent isn't seen or heard by some people because of all the other stuff going on on the field.

I never boo. I've been on the recieving end of booing and it ain't pretty. But I do respecfully disagree which I hope is still acceptable in this activity.

This, I can respect.

[MikeD]

The only thing "controversial" about any of the shows the Cadets do, in my opinion, is the use of props. Yes, I consider mics a prop. Yes, pink tables are props. Doors are props. Guards moving tables around the field are not marching. Rifles changing uniforms in the middle of field for 5 minutes during a show is not performing. Asking a fire department to sound their sirens during a show is not "performing" a show..... I can go on but you get the picture.

I certainly have had issues with Cadet shows in the past, but there is one thing for sure that I agree with. Their members perform the heck out of whatever show I have seen them perform over the last several years. Once I look past the "stuff" I truely do enjoy most of what is done on the field. It's just too bad some of that talent isn't seen or heard by some people because of all the other stuff going on on the field.

I never boo. I've been on the recieving end of booing and it ain't pretty. But I do respecfully disagree which I hope is still acceptable in this activity.

Not that I agree with you on some of the above, but the only thing I would really question is why you consider a microphone a prop. Do you consider a mute a prop on a trumpet? Is a sound reflector on a snare drum a prop, or is it a way to make the sound project? I guess if you consider those to be props, than mics might be props too.

Other than that, while I disagree on some of the particulars, I respect your right to hold whatever opinion you have, esp as it is so respectfully stated.