The Blue Knights Have Gone Insane

[ouooga]

I don't disagree, Brasso... The point I'm making is there's not a shortcut to that end.

I've said it before, but if you think BK strives to disenfranchise people or to be boring, you're not familiar enough with the organization. They want to be entertaining, but they don't want to settle out of doing it their way. That approach will be unpopular with some, but I don't discount the people that like and respect it.

Well said Keith. When I spoke to staff once about the time between 2000 and 2001, they have all told me the same story. They spoke to judges about how to get to the next level now that they had made the top 6, and every judge said they need more audience friendly shows. Fine, maybe BK took it the wrong way when they designed 01, or maybe they took it fine and the BK staff just doesn't know how to put together a show like that. Either way, after some bumpy years BK has gotten back to around where they were at the end of the 90's, and they did it by being true to themselves. BK will continue to succeed by being BK, plain and simple.

[BRASSO]

I don't disagree, Brasso... The point I'm making is there's not a shortcut to that end.

I've said it before, but if you think BK strives to disenfranchise people or to be boring, you're not familiar enough with the organization. They want to be entertaining, but they don't want to settle out of doing it their way. That approach will be unpopular with some, but I don't discount the people that like and respect it.

I hear you. I wish them a successful quest to find just the right balance in the future.

[Keith Laubhan]

I hear you. I wish them a successful quest to find just the right balance in the future.

Me too! :) For the time being, I'm just digging the journey. I've really enjoyed the progression from 02-07, and I'm really warming up to this year, now, too.

[cowtown]

At the end of the day, some people will really dig BK, some people won't, and the world will continue to revolve. I'd love to see Blue Knights more universally liked by the mob and ranked higher competitively, but not at the expense of striving to bring something new, refreshing, and artistic to the audience.

ugg !!!

as I said, I tend to like BK because I like their music and I listen more than I watch but I don't really like that stance at all

for one, when BK has been doing it for years now is it really new or refreshing?

and if you think BK is bringing something artistic to the audience then all the corps are so I don't know why you even included that

Please don’t go all ' we are so misunderstood, you’re too dumb to get us real artists, martyr act - we already have one of those corps

[notelvis]

Average attendees will most likely never get any of their shows, but they have done some brilliant work. I was 100% completely bored to tears with this years offering the 1st time I saw it, it didn't grow on me the second time, but I would love to see it now that the guys in green seem to think it is sooo much better than Boston and Blue Star. I am looking forward to seeing how much has changed. Or, will I still be bored AND dumbfounded by placement? Only time will tell. Overall though, I see nothing wrong with having a different style than the mainstream. Different strokes for different folks........

You're striking at one of the core questions facing the activity here.

Be it the Blue Knights or any other corps, who are you playing for? The judges? Sure. Your peers in the drum corps activity for whom you have produced an impressively creative style - a niche never before filled in the activity? OK - sure.

The avid drum corps fan who, like your peers, is going to see a lot of shows and will have the opportunity to see your show 8, 10, 12 times......enough to let it grow on them so that they may apprecitate just how lordly and creative your show is? Yeah, fine.

But the person left out of the equation is the casual fan who will only see a drum corps show when it comes to the local stadium once a year. If you give them a cerebral show that leaves the average fan going 'huh' when it's over you may have demonstrated once more how smart you are and well.....that's nice.

But if too many corps turn up at the same local contest with shows that make the casual fan go 'huh' at the same time; that's a local show that has that much harder time selling tickets net year.

The Blue Knights are a good example of a corps who has not demonstrated much of an interest in engaging the audience in recent years and that's a shame. The kids in the Colts last night seemed to really enjoy the two standing ovations they drew with their ballad........plus an enthusiastic standing ovation at the end. Connecting with the audience is important and I really wish the Blue Knights placed higher priority on doing that.

I am, by-the-way, a Blue Knight age-out (1984) and I am much in agreement with the original poster.

Edited July 30, 2008 by notelvis

[Keith Laubhan]

ugg !!!

as I said, I tend to like BK because I like their music and I listen more than I watch but I don't really like that stance at all

for one, when BK has been doing it for years now is it really new or refreshing?

and if you think BK is bringing something artistic to the audience then all the corps are so I don't know why you even included that

Please don’t go all ' we are so misunderstood, you’re too dumb to get us real artists, martyr act - we already have one of those corps

Easy... I'm not trying to play the misunderstood artist card at all.

First off, I maintain that Blue Knights have been doing different things within their style this whole time. Sometimes it runs in one year spans, sometimes it runs in two year spans, but you'd be hard-pressed to convince me that the 04 show, the 06 show, and the 08 show are the same thing. I think there's a very noticable difference in style in all of those. (That's what I consider new) During that period, they've also been very different from the rest of DCI. (That's what I consider refreshing)

And of course I think that all of the corps bring something artistic to the table. I'm not saying BK is more virtuous than anyone else. The quality of that art is up to everyone to decide for themselves, but to create something beautiful and new is a goal of the organization every year.

[Keith Laubhan]

The Blue Knights are a good example of a corps who has not demonstrated much of an interest in engaging the audience in recent years...

In your opinion.... It's not at all uncommon to hear the staff talk about trying to achieve just that, in my experience.

[NV82]

What about those of us who are really enjoying what BK is currently doing? It’s not fair to say they should try to appeal to the audience more. I’m part of that audience!!! Let us have our favorites without trying to mold them into something more “refreshing”. Refreshing by whose standards?

Truth is there is no corps that get’s away from the harsh criticism of those who want them to conform to their personal taste. Problem is, if they do change, someone else is going to come along and criticize them for not being true to their uniqueness. Trying to please all the fans is never going to work because fans think as individuals! Individuals with different likes and different dislikes…..

[rut-roh]

What about those of us who are really enjoying what BK is currently doing?

Well, obviously, you don't count. AND you're wrong. Silly wabbit!

[wesleyrp]

Well, obviously, you don't count. AND you're wrong. Silly wabbit!

Great quote, made me smile. I think Keith Says it best, why should we ever assume BK is about nothing more than providing an entertaining show, but doing it their way? I also know that the staff is not the "lets forget about the audience" type of people that many think of them. That label has been created in places such as this forum and spread as some sort of untrue mantra. I again redirect that what is good for one is not good for all. Case in point, my wife who wants to be entertained at a corps show just as any other person has not always cared for BD in the past. Shocked? How could someone not love BD when they provide such a fan based product? She of course loves them this year and dug them last year, but their style is not always her favorite. That proves what we are talking about which is what BK does is different and disliked by some but overall most fans see them as a positive influence and enjoy their product. I also tend to think the other way about the OP 's original post. I think to call out the corps you marched in on a public forum is not courages, but actually writing Mark Arnold and the staff and expressing your views about their design is. Just my opinion. I know that we all come on here to discuss drum corps and if this thread has served a purpose it has been to discuss a great drum corps with a bright future. Also I am very encouraged at how many fans are coming out to talk about BK, to me that proves that they are hitting the mark with their shows. Good discussion on this!!

Wes Perkins

BK '97 '98