BLUE STARS IN SHAKOS?

[akagi]

Dave.

You are putting the Cadets on this pedestal for not changing their uniforms. But do you forget in 2005 and 2006, they completely changed the backside of the uniforms?

for visual reasons. score reasons. effect reasons.

[skajerk]

And thank God they walked back through the door!

[bscontra]

hehheh... good luck with that one.

thanks !!

I did get her to work the Blue Stars Brat Stand 2 time so far !!!

[piperguy]

I tried to stay out of this, but I couldn't any longer. As you can see from my signature, I marched with the Stars back in the "Open Class" days. I got upset over changes that happened over the course of the years; 2 to 3 valves, grounded pits, vocalizations allowed on the field, G to Bb, amps, etc., but I eventually came to realize that like all things, the activity has to evolve. The spirit of drum corps today is every bit as strong as when I marched, only different. I look at the uniform changes the same way. The distinctive Blue Star look was "killer" back in the day, but things have moved on since then. What worked then no longer has the same effect today, and changes needed to be made. I admit that I was upset earlier today, but after thinking about it, I believe that the correct choice was made. The Blue Stars needed this change to match the types of shows they will need to perform, this year and coming years, to be competitive. It took a lot of guts to make this change by the administration, as the Blue Stars have one of the most "enthusiastic" groups of alumni I have ever seen in any organization. I think the change will pay off in the end. FCO!

Edited July 27, 2008 by piperguy

[doyle079]

why is there such hostility between past present and future blue stars members?

i mean i said this in this thread before until your paying for it out of your pocket, or are on the design team, can you really complain? if it bothers you that much, get yourself into a position to where you can fix it.

your not going to completely stop watching them for changing to shakos just like people havent stopped watching cadets for this 3 year journey of theirs, and you know it. so after the first couple pages, was this thread neccessary anymore?

and finally the only selling out ive seen recently was AB selling out to InBev, now guess where im from...

[bscontra]

I also think that the BoD is more then capable of making choices

and if I am right they are open to the public

so if people have problems feel free to go

but for the people that are on the BoD that I marched with I trust there decisions

most of them marched in Blue Stars longer then any of us !!

Plus Brad Furlano is at the helm (and anyone that marched for 12 years and been teaching or admin rolls 12+years) know what is good for the corps

h.e.l.l. I sit in a cube most of my days talking to music stores and teachers

... I Daydream I wish I could be where those kids are right now

at least I had a (VERY) small part on helping them get there

[Dave]

Dave.

You are putting the Cadets on this pedestal for not changing their uniforms. But do you forget in 2005 and 2006, they completely changed the backside of the uniforms?

for visual reasons. score reasons. effect reasons.

It's not changing the uniforms period, it's completely abandoning anything recognizable as them. Even with that there was no looking at the Cadets and saying "Well gee, who the heck is that?" They still looked like themselves even with that. Even when Blue Stars made minor changes here and there in years past they were still recognizable as themselves. Now they're not.

Butler, I appreciate the sentiment and I am with you on all that. Honestly, the corps is going to do what it wants and there's nothing I can do about it. But I don't have to like it and I have said my piece about it. I think abandoning any semblance of recognizability for scores is a mistake, and not one I wish to gloat about pointing out. But if I didn't say what I thought, well, then I really would be hating Blue Stars--apathy is the true opposite of love. I'm not going to make myself into some sort of victim of opposing thoughts because there's always going to be a lot of different opinions on stuff like this, nor do I wish to see some sort of major split going on as a result. But I don't like it one bit, and I think in the end they'll come to regret the decision. Hopefully they will find a way to a modern look while still looking like the corps they've been for four decades now. I will say, however, that this is exactly the sort of debate between alums that I always appreciated when I was marching--no sunshine, no covering up disagreement, just straight up opinions and reasoning, and I'm glad to be a part of it. If things work out hopefully I'll make it up for the Oktoberfest parade; my attempt to get Inner City booked as part of the festival didn't work out, but hopefully I'll be doing better on the cash front and make it up this time around.

[bscontra]

Dave,

I understand its all good man let me know if it is a lock for o-fest I will do my best to be up for it also!

I will buy first round of city beer !

It's not changing the uniforms period, it's completely abandoning anything recognizable as them. Even with that there was no looking at the Cadets and saying "Well gee, who the heck is that?" They still looked like themselves even with that. Even when Blue Stars made minor changes here and there in years past they were still recognizable as themselves. Now they're not.

Butler, I appreciate the sentiment and I am with you on all that. Honestly, the corps is going to do what it wants and there's nothing I can do about it. But I don't have to like it and I have said my piece about it. I think abandoning any semblance of recognizability for scores is a mistake, and not one I wish to gloat about pointing out. But if I didn't say what I thought, well, then I really would be hating Blue Stars--apathy is the true opposite of love. I'm not going to make myself into some sort of victim of opposing thoughts because there's always going to be a lot of different opinions on stuff like this, nor do I wish to see some sort of major split going on as a result. But I don't like it one bit, and I think in the end they'll come to regret the decision. Hopefully they will find a way to a modern look while still looking like the corps they've been for four decades now. I will say, however, that this is exactly the sort of debate between alums that I always appreciated when I was marching--no sunshine, no covering up disagreement, just straight up opinions and reasoning, and I'm glad to be a part of it. If things work out hopefully I'll make it up for the Oktoberfest parade; my attempt to get Inner City booked as part of the festival didn't work out, but hopefully I'll be doing better on the cash front and make it up this time around.

[ecamburn]

(Cavaliers' uniforms are modernizations of what they wore prior to them and have remained essentially the same for about twenty years now

Yes, they've remained similar for about 20 years, but I wouldn't say today's uniform is a modernization of earlier unis. Cavies have gone through major changes over the year. At least 3 styles of hats - originally shakos, 70s=big black cavalier hats, 83/84-present white cavalier hats. The rest of the uniform has changed a lot over the years too. For example the silk tops with puffy sleeves and naugahyde vests from the 70s are really different than the current uniform.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure I've seen an early picture of Phantom regiment in shakos. Would have been from a program from the early-mid 70s.

[IanKShields]

If it helps, I'm not Blue Stars alum, just a musician & fan who remembers the old unis vividly (including the guard's Bermuda shorts -- not "hot pants", as they've been sexily described).

I always thought the old unis made everyone look fat. The cross straps seemed to be the primary culprit, followed by the very-round pith helmet design, and I'd always wondered what kind of better impression the 'Stars might make if their uniforms weren't so roly-poly-looking. They always played and marched powerfully, but, phew...ugh.

By contrast, when the new uniform came out in photos the first time, I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a near miraculous job of redesign, without losing identity, and it was SHARP! One of the prettiest uniforms I've seen in years, in fact. It has altered my view of the formerly dowdy Blue Stars in a 100% positive way.

So, I am, in spirit, in complete sympathy with the 'Stars vets here who are concerned about throwing away corps identity, but in reality I am simply loving this new uniform. I think it succeeds magnificently as a complete redesign that somehow still screams "Blue Stars"; that creativity, as it often does, has trumped the potential problem.

Now the issue arrives with the hats. Yeah, I think the helmet is very much an important Blue Stars signature, and I hope that, however good the Shakos look and work, Blue Stars can find themselves in some sort of sleek new helmet soon.

Perhaps something like the deep-well Phantom/Bluecoats profile that obviously works on the move, adapted to the futuristic new Blue Stars look? There are so many very striking possibilities...