Piper Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Have you ever brought anyone to a show who was TOTALLY unfamiliar with Drum Corps? In my experience, after the scores and placements are announced and all is said and done, then you ask them who their favorite corps was or who they thought was the best, they almost NEVER pick the corps that won. I was just wondering if other people had that experience or it's just me. I'll bet on the former. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mello Dude Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Have you ever brought anyone to a show who was TOTALLY unfamiliar with Drum Corps? In my experience, after the scores and placements are announced and all is said and done, then you ask them who their favorite corps was or who they thought was the best, they almost NEVER pick the corps that won. I was just wondering if other people had that experience or it's just me. I'll bet on the former. Yep, and don't you love the way they always say, "I like that band!" Well, today they would be correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Yep, and don't you love the way they always say, "I like that band!" Well, today they would be correct. Oh...that was so funny with the humor you just did there. Attention Jim Gaffigan, someone's out for your job! Anyway, I am taking 2 uninitiated to the Glendale show this evening. Well, partially uninitiated...they went to Academy's Center Stage production. But, they have not been to a drum corps show yet. My guess is, they will not disagree with the judges placement if the scores are as they were between these same corps in Rio Rancho last evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000Cadet Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Have you ever brought anyone to a show who was TOTALLY unfamiliar with Drum Corps? In my experience, after the scores and placements are announced and all is said and done, then you ask them who their favorite corps was or who they thought was the best, they almost NEVER pick the corps that won. I was just wondering if other people had that experience or it's just me. I'll bet on the former. Actually I did at the Annapolis show. I brought my roommate. He is also in the Navy. He liked the Marine D&B corps the best. Oh, and he liked the "flag people", his words for the colorguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I've taken friends who know nothing of marching anything since 97 or so. They're usually mpressed by the volume and by a lot of the drumming. Not much else. Very few would ever pay to see it again, I think. I've brought students, and they were amazed by everything for the most part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkfdPRphan Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I totally agree with the thought that uninitiated, first time viewers LOVE the sound, but not much else! Maybe its because there is just too much going on for them to understand? Its very, very easy to understand who plays the loudest horns and bangs the loudest on the drums. Besides....it takes years of watching or a full season participating to 'get' what is going on! Its hard to understand the marching, the reason for the pit and, understandably, the 'story' behind the performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barigirl78 Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Have you ever brought anyone to a show who was TOTALLY unfamiliar with Drum Corps? In my experience, after the scores and placements are announced and all is said and done, then you ask them who their favorite corps was or who they thought was the best, they almost NEVER pick the corps that won. I was just wondering if other people had that experience or it's just me. I'll bet on the former. Yes. I took a friend to the Meadowlands show in 2007. He liked the Crown best (who didn't win) because he recognized most of their music. He didn't recognize the other corps music. So, it didn't connect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrnguy500 Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I've been a counselor at a local band camp during the summer and every year we go to the DCI show that is held. I've taken large groups of HS and Middle Schoolers who have never been. Most of the HS kids get it and dig it. The MS could leave it, they just don't get it since they've never done it. Most of them pick a favorite that isn't the winner. In '05 the kids didn't like the Cadets at all but they won. I remember my first live show in '02 and Phantom was my favorite but they finished 3rd that night. Newbies tend to gravitate towards more audience friendly shows and are confused by stuff like '05, '06 Cadets, '08 BD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 (edited) Done this many times. First my advice for bringing a "newbie" to a show: 1) Don't fill their heads with instrustions of what to watch and what not to watch. Just let them soak it all in. A few introductory remarks about the corps makeup (age limit, etc) and how they tour and general rules are okay, but try to be very minimal about this stuff. Otherwise, they are too caught up in trying to see what you see and miss the overall experience. 2) ABSOLUTELY, refrain from giving your opinion about a show before they see it. Nothing drives me more crazy than hearing some know-it-all behind me tell his newbie girlfriend "Here comes so-and-so corps. They used to be good a few years ago, but now they just rehash stuff from other corps and this years show is boring and the drill is too easy. They shouldn't be scoring this well." Just shut up and let your friend experience the first viewing on their own. Then feel free to answer questions and/or offer opinions over a beer after. 3) Don't get into rule changes of what used to be legal before vs what's legal now. Your friend doesn't care and won't really have any frame of reference to make a comparison, so just let it go. Again, this is discussion for over beers later. Now my observations from having done this: 1) Newbie generally doesn't understand why one corps scored a 75 and the other corps scored a 90. They can't tell the difference. It's okay after to explain how the second corps had more difficult drill and more difficult music book and such, but realize that they're only able to just take your word for it and really don't care anyway. 2) Favorites tend to be either corps that play recognizable music or corps that are more lighthearted in their approach or corps that play to the audience and rock out. For example, my wife liked Blue Stars Tour de France last year and the Bluecoats boxing/Rocky show because she dug the music and/or because both shows presented a bit of whimsey to the crowd. 3) Newbies that return with you won't remember which corps they liked the year before and which corps they didn't like. Kinda refreshing -- they will view each show on its own merits and won't remember that they hated so-and-so corps' show the previous time. Edited June 24, 2009 by Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 (edited) I did this last year. I think he liked the show overall. He actually had a decent eye/ear for things and was able to tell roughly which corps were the best/worst. Also... and I'm not projecting any of my own opinions on this statement... but I will say he had to put both his hands over his mouth because he was laughing so hard at the Cadets' narration (late June). Needless to say, he was not a fan. Edited June 24, 2009 by Supersonic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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