Flaming bag on the front door step

[jwillis35]

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!

This is actually NOT TRUE. And that is a FACT. The Cadets have done a masterful job of working the narration into the show during phrase extensions and interludes prior to or after the main musical hits. I could hear this clearly when I saw them in Toledo and also on the broadcast. The show is constructed very well. Why do you think the judges like it? Do you really think they are all idiots and upholding some conspiracy to never allow other corps to approach the top 3?

WRONG!!!

[tim_brandt]

This hits the nail on the head. I brought my buddy Yasser, a drummer from Australia, to quarters last year, which was his first drum corps show. He was overwhelmed and blown away by everything. When Cadets' narration started, he just couldn't stop giggling. He looked at me and said, 'what the h###?'

So, it's not just old school folks, but new comers as well. It's just odd and tacky. Personally, I don't mind the concept of narration in drum corps at all. Why not, it's another medium to help convey your story. But with the Cadets, it's Hop shoving it down our throat. From what I hear about this years show, it sounds like they are being preachy about it. They probably feed off all these comments in defiance.

That being said, I too want to add that the '05 and '07 Cadets corps was some of the best execution I've seen in drum corps. The kids tore it up. Although the narration last year was cheezy, it didn't really bother me. I ignored it and focused on the performers.

Not sure if I'll see this years show, but we'll see how I do with that narration.

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?

[corps-mudgeon]

This is actually NOT TRUE. And that is a FACT.

I think you need to look up in the dictionary the definitions of the words "fact" and "opinion". Your "facts" do not negate DCIowaFan's OPINION that the narration was disruptive and annoying.

[Elmo Blatch]

Why do you think the judges like it? Do you really think they are all idiots and upholding some conspiracy to never allow other corps to approach the top 3?

WRONG!!!

I am not convinced that the judges like it.

Are the judges scoring it where it should score based on performance level?

Yes

While the poll that started this thread was not conducted through a scientific approach, the outcome does make one think. As most polls are a reflection of society, then one could contend that this poll is a mathematical projection of people who regularly follow this activity, including judges. Ergo, the ratio of dislike for the Cadets programming this year is likely to approach the same percentage for judges.

Liking something and evaluating a performance are two different issues. That is why the poll starts, "Forget execution."

[cymbalmom]

My family and I were at the Madison show last night and loved all the shows except that put on by the Cadets. While narration was used very well last year by several corps, this show seems to be two separate events. The ensemble work is not moved forward by the narration as was the case with Crown and Bluecoats last year nor do they complement or support one another as the Cadets' show did in 2007. The narration itself is trite and bothersome - happiness is just snapping your fingers? Is that really what we get as the bottom line? Please.... everyone around us was rolling their eyes. Lastly, we all found it bothersome that the narration appeared to come from disembodied voices. It was clear that the 'actors' on the center stage weren't the ones speaking - who was? We ended up totally distracted by 'the voices' and probably didn't get to fully appreciate what all the musicians were doing on the field, though they sounded great. Then there's the fact that they've ripped off NPR two years in a row.... If they are going for innovation - let's really do something new.

[CHSnare]

My family and I were at the Madison show last night and loved all the shows except that put on by the Cadets. While narration was used very well last year by several corps, this show seems to be two separate events. The ensemble work is not moved forward by the narration as was the case with Crown and Bluecoats last year nor do they complement or support one another as the Cadets' show did in 2007. The narration itself is trite and bothersome - happiness is just snapping your fingers? Is that really what we get as the bottom line? Please.... everyone around us was rolling their eyes. Lastly, we all found it bothersome that the narration appeared to come from disembodied voices. It was clear that the 'actors' on the center stage weren't the ones speaking - who was? We ended up totally distracted by 'the voices' and probably didn't get to fully appreciate what all the musicians were doing on the field, though they sounded great. Then there's the fact that they've ripped off NPR two years in a row.... If they are going for innovation - let's really do something new.

Someone told me the two black booths in the front were people speaking but they could be wrong.

[Phillygwm]

...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.

And this is how fans should register their opinions. If you love the show, buy the t-shirt, throw the money into the fuel fund, join the Maroon and Gold club.

If you hate the show, merely redirect your financial support elsewhere. There are 20 other World Class corps (to say nothing of Open Class) out there. Their members rehearse just as hard and those organizations are at least as financially challenged with fuel and food costs. Find one or two which you particularly enjoy and write a check or buy their stuff.

I'm not familiar with how the YEA board operates but, even if they steer clear of the artistic side of the house, I can assure you they'll at least view operating deficits seriously, especially when it's the income side of the statement which is drying up.

Edited June 29, 2008 by Phillygwm

[Meaghatron]

When the corps announced their selections earlier this year, I was really looking forward to the show. I knew there would be narration, but I was really going to try to get passed it. I actually like their 2005 and 2006 shows a lot, and I thought last year was too much (and too cheesy). Before seeing the show on the WebCast last night, I had seen a couple clips of the show online. After last night's viewing, I'm really disappointed.

There's narration. Yes. That's not the problem I have. We all expected it. That's nothing new. What is the problem? The content... for various reasons.

First of all, the breast cancer comment. No, it's not the "main story." However, to me, it's an important part of the story. Why mention it? Because it affects a person's happiness. Two of my best friends' mothers have breast cancer, both diagnosed in the last year and a half. So naturally, the line in the narration hit a nerve with me. Why? Because it was handled so lightly. "I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was surprised, but not shocked." The line was said so, almost, nonchalantly. Like, "Yeah, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. No biggie. It's all good. I mean, I survived. So let's downplay the whole thing." Getting diagnosed with cancer changes your life. Even when it goes into remission, a person STILL gets checkups in case it comes back. If your going to put that line in the narration (which I think so too deep for drum corps, but whatever), then say it with some feeling. That's a big deal.

Second, I didn't think that the music and narration went together, especially the part about finding a man. That music did not seem to portray the idea of searching for a spouse. There wasn't even a hint of romantic feeling to it. It was just... music. Words. Music. No connection. If your going to have this long story about someone's life, make sure the music reflects what's being said. It felt way too disjointed for my taste.

Third, the lines about loving money and loving the job were so cheesy. Like someone else in this thread mentioned, it sounded like she loved the money more than her child(ren)! I mean, people like money. Hopefully they don't like it more than their own children. It's not like she made it sound as if she was happy that she could provide for her children. It was just, "I love money." Um, ok?

The hornline sounded great. My friend and I turned to each other after their first hit last night and said, "Wow. They sound great!" The design of this show, not so much. It could have been better. The story could have been written better. The narrators could have portrayed it better. The stage could be closer so people could actually see the actors.

Again, it's not that there is narration. It's that the content and delivery is still not good enough for the field.

But at least I like the 2007 show more now, right?

[CHSnare]

I just watched the show again and timed about 3:23 of narration. About 30% of their show is narration. What sucks, is when the corp is actually playing its so amazing.....

[Elmo Blatch]

Where is hrothgar defending this program?

He bagged on narration so much coming into the season, but loves the Cadets narration/programming this year I guess.