DCA to DCI

[MikeD]

And Hawthorne adding those #### bongos about the same time... Love that site as I'm learning new things.

I heard it when corps started adding the marching bells. What made it worse was with the elevator drill of the day the bells REALLY came thru on the recordings. Wish I had kept the letters to DCN complaining about the "Drum and Tink Tink Corps" (actual quote).

Part of the problem when mallets had to be carried, esp bells, was what to do with them when that voice was not called for. The incessant clanging was one great reason for the grounding of the mallets and the addition of the other pit voices.

I was arranging for a GSC corps back then, and we marched both xylo and bells. For our opener, Berlioz' "March to the Scaffold", I went to the Julliard library to peruse the score and based my bell part on the flute voice and the xylo on the oboe. It actually worked pretty well, though there was still more of each than I would have liked. You did have to "play the game" to get a score. In order to get demand credit they had to play a lot...so just giving them some traps to carry would have reduced the difficulty mark. Hence...the overkill of orchestra bells.

[jojo]

That wasn't sarcasm - just a little joke.

My point is: I never saw that show, so I can still say I never saw a DCA corps do a DCI tribute show.

However, I took the original statement in a post farther back to mean that any time a DCA corps happens to play a song or do a maneuver, or whatever that resembles something that a DCI corps has done, then DCA is copying DCI and I don't agree with that point of view.

Also, it never works the other way around. Say when Cavies played Firebird, did anyone say, "Hey, they're copying Buccaneers!"

A show that is called a tribute, I guess is a tribute, but I didn't see it.

I understand ... and as for Firebird I guess I would have said "Hey, they're copying Anaheim". I think who's copying who has everything to do with how long you've been around and what you're familiar with.

I didn't even know DCA existed until 2002. I was surprised at much "junior corps" influence I saw in the uniforms and heard in the repertoires. It was fabulous fun and I loved it all. I felt an instant kinship with DCA because I think it's very reminescent of the way drum corps used to be -- less corporate, more inclusive, that sort of thing. I think it was the Bucs in 05 (and I might be wrong about both) that I heard play "Young Person's Guide" at the Loud Music Symposium and I cried like a little kid. Rehash done well is a tribute in my view -- and I heard and saw a lot of it in the five years I was at DCA finals.

Sheesh. Talking about it is making me wanna' give it another go. My husband would be so thrilled

Edited December 31, 2008 by jojo

[Martybucs]

I understand ... and as for Firebird I guess I would have said "Hey, they're copying Anaheim". I think who's copying who has everything to do with how long you've been around and what you're familiar with.

I didn't even know DCA existed until 2002. I was surprised at much "junior corps" influence I saw in the uniforms and heard in the repertoires. It was fabulous fun and I loved it all. I felt an instant kinship with DCA because I think it's very reminescent of the way drum corps used to be -- less corporate, more inclusive, that sort of thing. I think it was the Bucs in 05 (and I might be wrong about both) that I heard play "Young Person's Guide" at the Loud Music Symposium and I cried like a little kid. Rehash done well is a tribute in my view -- and I heard and saw a lot of it in the five years I was at DCA finals.

Sheesh. Talking about it is making me wanna' give it another go. My husband would be so thrilled

I agree.

It wasn't until I joined Bucs in '75 that I knew how good DCA was. I thought it was a bunch of drunk guys blowing the ends off the horns...well...there was that too, but most of it was really good.

I hope DCA can maintain a respectable distance from where DCI is headed. Let the electronics and woodwinds, etc start their own thing, if they want it that bad.

DCA is more about, "Here, this is going to be so cool, you're gonna love it!"

Some may whine, "but it's not perfect and it's not DCI"

As my mom would say, "You'll love it! Now, shut up and eat!"

[jojo]

I agree.

I thought it was a bunch of drunk guys blowing the ends off the horns...well...there was that too, but most of it was really good.

In '75 I thought the same thing about "senior corps". I was one of those stuck up kids who wondered why the grown ups couldn't just grow up and go away already. Now, after a 20+ year hiatus of my own growing up and going away, I think a whole different way and I highly recommend the real estate between the 35s and 8 off the front side line

[crazymello]

I'll just chime in saying, you can keep tradition while innovating, and DCA is already doing it. So, not broke, don't fix it. >_>

Edited January 1, 2009 by crazymello

[csugrad]

I hope I did not overlook this thought in a previous post BUT if any DCA corps were to rehearse like DCI corps do they too could be VERY competitive in the DCI division. Now granted using the current weekend only schedule would not do any DCA corps justice in comparison but put them on equal rehearsal grounds with their own styles of shows I am sure they would be competitive!

[oswegobari]

Was young once.. enjoyed DCI... I am old now... and today's DCI sucks.. .I would quit my corps if they went DCI....

Oh and before you flame me........ I didn't start the post... just answered it.................

DCA = Entertainment for the crowd... If you are in DCA and wanna model yourself after a DCI corps ... quit DCA PLEEEASSSSEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Ken B

[wishbonecav]

What gets old is comparing Bucs or Empire to DCI, rather than letting their show be what it is: worthy of a goal line to goal line standing ovation on Finals night.

A crowd's emotional response is spontaneous. If it wasn't sensational, then why all the fuss?

[Jim Allen]

What gets old is comparing Bucs or Empire to DCI, rather than letting their show be what it is: worthy of a goal line to goal line standing ovation on Finals night.

A crowd's emotional response is spontaneous. If it wasn't sensational, then why all the fuss?

And that about says it all!!!

[JimF-LowBari]

And that about says it all!!!

Yeah, but it's more fun to b-word about why doesn't a banana taste more like an orange than enjoy that they are different