Flaming bag on the front door step

[cmathis]

Yes, the ending was nothing short of horrible.

[gottalovit]

I was also there last night. Loved every single show last night, and then we come to the Cadets. Yes I had heard a little of the music prior to last night. I had seen a couple of clips online. I was still not exactly prepared for it. As I have mentioned before, I thought in 2006 the Cadets were way underscored. There is no way Phantom or Bluecoats should have beaten that show in 2006. I am a huge Cadets fan. Last year, while I didn't enjoy the narration, and thought it really detracted from the show, I really appreciated the great moments of that show.

This year, I was totalled bothered by the Cadets performace narration. I was sitting next to my favorite aunt at the show. She found out in October she had Ovarian Cancer and it had spread all around. She successfully went a full hysterectomy in November, and had several other things removed as well, and has now been cancer free for 7 months(fingers crossed it continues). I have gotten her addicted to drum corps since 2004, and we have consistently seen shows together. When the Cadets first started talking, she kind of looked at me and did the naseous stomach look. When they first brought up the "cancer survivor", she looked at me and rolled her eyes, and acted like she was going to vomit. We did kind of joke throughout the rest of the show, and when any of the talking began, I would go "Blah Blah Blah" quietly-while having my hands do the mouths talking, and she would start laughing. The people around us were already making fun of Cadets talking, and when they heard me going "Blah Blah Blah", they all started cracking up as well. We were talking after the show, and thought it would be kind of humorous to make a statement during the Cadets show. We thought if everyone during the talking moments, said "Blah Blah Blah"(in a very nasal tone) until the talking stopped, it could actually have a very humorous effect(ok, maybe it isn't as humorous as it sounds, I am going on about 3 hours sleep after being up 20 hours). It seems Cadets staff are trying to push a kind of point across, and most people are not impressed with it. Why not make a statement of our own? Once you get past the talking of about 30-45 seconds before the music and drill get going, it could be a very decent show.

I will say that only about 1/3 of the people around us gave them a standing ovation. And I noticed in the souvie area, in about 45 minutes time after the show, I didn't see a single person purchase anything from the Cadets booth. And not very many people even wandered into their area.

All in all a wonderful evening of drum corps, minus about 2 1/2 minutes of worthless narration.

Edited June 29, 2008 by gottalovit

[Tez]

I'm sure they are much worse than that. Two of my family members and one's girlfriend also agree that this shows concept/design is awful. The friends I had over last night thought it was ridiculous to hear all the talking and wanted me to turn it off and this was for a few their first major viewing of drum corp. Like I said, this corp can play, and I don't feel like I am getting everything I should out of them because they're to busy playing quiet chords in the background while people two people are jabbering over them. And don't even get me started on the ending......I'm sure its going to be changed but I don't even want to be started on that......

See... this kind of thing is what upsets me the most about this situation. It really, really turns people off to drum corps. So many people think that it is just established drum corps fans that dislike the narration. From my experiences, these current fans already love the activity and will continue support it despite their dislike of one corps shows. It's the new potential fans that need to be 'won over' that this hurts. What if the Cadets 2008 show was someone's first experience with drum corps?

[corps8294]

Just think, in six week the loyalists and bottom kissers will all come out and "insist that the booers, hecklers, haters, nay sayers, critics, and non-fans all personally write a letter of apology to George Hopkins."

That was one of the silliest things I read on here last year. Nobody owes Hopkins a letter of apology for thier feelings, no matter how they choose to display them, immaturely or otherwise.

[kusankusho]

I was also there last night. Loved every single show last night, and then we come to the Cadets. Yes I had heard a little of the music prior to last night. I had seen a couple of clips online. I was still not exactly prepared for it. As I have mentioned before, I thought in 2006 the Cadets were way underscored. There is no way Phantom or Bluecoats should have beaten that show in 2006. I am a huge Cadets fan. Last year, while I didn't enjoy the narration, and thought it really detracted from the show, I really appreciated the great moments of that show.

This year, I was totalled bothered by the Cadets performace narration. I was sitting next to my favorite aunt at the show. She found out in October she had Ovarian Cancer and it had spread all around. She successfully went a full hysterectomy in November, and had several other things removed as well, and has now been cancer free for 7 months(fingers crossed it continues). I have gotten her addicted to drum corps since 2004, and we have consistently seen shows together. When the Cadets first started talking, she kind of looked at me and did the naseous stomach look. When they first brought up the "cancer survivor", she looked at me and rolled her eyes, and acted like she was going to vomit. We did kind of joke throughout the rest of the show, and when any of the talking began, I would go "Blah Blah Blah" quietly-while having my hands do the mouths talking, and she would start laughing. The people around us were already making fun of Cadets talking, and when they heard me going "Blah Blah Blah", they all started cracking up as well. We were talking after the show, and thought it would be kind of humorous to make a statement during the Cadets show. We thought if everyone during the talking moments, said "Blah Blah Blah"(in a very nasal tone) until the talking stopped, it could actually have a very humorous effect(ok, maybe it isn't as humorous as it sounds, I am going on about 3 hours sleep after being up 20 hours). It seems Cadets staff are trying to push a kind of point across, and most people are not impressed with it. Why not make a statement of our own? Once you get past the talking of about 30-45 seconds before the music and drill get going, it could be a very decent show.

I will say that only about 1/3 of the people around us gave them a standing ovation. And I noticed in the souvie area, in about 45 minutes time after the show, I didn't see a single person purchase anything from the Cadets booth. And not very many people even wandered into their area.

All in all a wonderful evening of drum corps, minus about 2 1/2 minutes of worthless narration.

I really hope Hop read that post....

Edited June 29, 2008 by kusankusho

[gottalovit]

Also, as far as Bluecoats narration, luckily they had some microphone problems, and weren't able to narrate the show as usual. In my opinion, it was worlds better than the night before.

[DCIowaFan]

People can see and hear the talent just fine, just because you don't happen to like it doesn't mean that the show isn't good, well made, and a championship level show.

I respectfully disagree on this point. Yes, we can see and hear the talent just fine. However, everytime the music was interrupted by the dialog, it became increasingly annoying. There are such talented musicians in this corps!!!!! They perform beautifully but it's negated to a certain extent by the narration.

IMHO!!! Nothing more!

[Elmo Blatch]

And I noticed in the souvie area, in about 45 minutes time after the show, I didn't see a single person purchase anything from the Cadets booth. And not very many people even wandered into their area.

What? Were they selling bra inserts at the souvie stand?

[Elmo Blatch]

I don't remember hearing Prokofiev's "Breast Cancer Symphony" ... If I did I would have probably found it just as much of a bummer as Cadets show.

Now that is funny!

[jwillis35]

Well, count me in as part of the minority. But hey, we have a place in this activity too. Not every corps can pleases the masses, and I am not so sure that should always be the goal.

I like the Cadets show. I actually like it better than last year. I don't mind some of these mature themes being presented, especially when they are part of the story. I think the breast cancer thing is dealt with well, simply because it's actually not part of the main theme, but it is something this lady fought at one point, and that is why she reflected and ended searching for the meaning to happiness.

When they get the script to speak to these feelings a bit more I think the story will give us the happy ending to a long and difficult battle on a number of fronts for this lady. Many have commented on the breast cancer, but that is actually not the story. It is mentioned because Sarah had to fight this earlier in her life, and doing so caused her to reflect on life, and that is what led to the search for happiness, which is what the story is about. She doesn't mention breast cancer in a negative way, or poke fun at it, or laugh at it, it is very tasteful and in passing as she talks about her life.

Also, just because drum corps fans are not used to a show bringing social issues to the table doesn't mean it can't happen. The only issue here, however, is happiness, but finding it is not always easy, hence the dialog at the top of the show telling about the class offered at Harvard (on Happiness) which happens to be one of the most popular classes on campus.

Also, other corps have brought social issues to the table, like Suncoast Sound with the Vietnam War and others. This is simply a step further, and more based on a radio show.

I think some are overanalyzing it, and others simply do not like narration, therefore they will not find much good to say regardless of the script. George Lucas could have written the script and the narration haters would still dislike everything about the show. That's cool, that's their right.

Also, for those that say the script is bad or high school-ish, I disagree. I think it's a good script, but my opinion is that when people don't like something it is easier for them to become even more negative, over-exaggerate, and pile on (the misery loves company syndrome that was exhibited last night on the Madison thread).

Oh well, maybe the Cadets show will only appeal to me and the few like me. Boy, I do hope we are still welcome to attend DCI shows and that our desires and preferences are not blown off by everyone for the sake of the "average joe."