JimF-LowBari Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 (edited) Hey, I think I hear a murmur, even letting old WBS guys play, sound good , whattya think? Dang, if 2011 is the last one I'll join in so I can say I did the first and last show. As for the younger people in the corps and audience sounds like the things coming out of my mouth all weekend. Seems like the Forum audience is the same people year after year from the faces we recognized. And those empty sections on the ends were depressing as Hell, worst attended of the 20 or so I've been at. My dad even said he didn't know anything as there was no local advertising which I know costs $$$$. As for younger corps members, kind of scary that a big chunck of Lancers have been there since the corps reformed in 1990. Too many bodies could leave at one shot in the future. We started recruiting at local band shows and picked up a few drummers but need to start getting more younger bodies regardless of the number of years they stick around. Age range is teenage to 70s but lot of people in that late 40s-mid 50s area. Edited April 13, 2010 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jami Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Reading is a little over an hour away, thay had camp this weekend, but choose to not loose the valuable rehearsal time to take the performance shot?,..............I'm not complaining, that's just an example of how it goes I guess,................ Reading's hornline was the only part of the corps rehearsing on Saturday. The bulk of the percussion section, staff & members, are still involved in indoor on Saturdays, and this past Saturday was a major circuit championship down in Coatesville. It's been like this for the better part of the last 5-6 years that I used to be involved with the corps, be it WGI championships or MAPS championships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzgok Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Younger alumni corps members "should" attract a younger audience. Don't the two go hand in hand? This is true for DCI Shows, and there is a much younger average age within the ranks of DCA than say, 20-25 years ago. While I agree with what you are saying, unfortunately the mind set is that if it's an alumni corps, it's for old folks. I don't agree with that mind set, but that seems to be the way it is going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 While I agree with what you are saying, unfortunately the mind set is that if it's an alumni corps, it's for old folks. I don't agree with that mind set, but that seems to be the way it is going. And the word "Alumni" just sounds like you have to have been a member of the competing corps to be allowed to join. Some "alumni" corps allow people with no corps experience to march but the name is saying the exact opposite. That can be cleaned up at a standstill when you have a field announcement, but there ain't no field announcements in parades. Yeah... that's getting to be my soapbox issue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geneva Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Again, I'm not talking about the corps membership, I'm talking about audiences. It won't matter how many members you have if there's no one to play for. Correct, John. Did an alumni show at Haverford HS a few years back where there were more of us on stage than there were in the audience. It was painful. I would venture to say that this is a problem for most live music ensembles unless you are a group creating Billboard top 40 songs or are in a professional ensemble at the top of your genre. The days when the public had to attend a live performance to hear the tunes they love being played are gone. With the universal availability of professional performances of any kind of music imaginable on the internet, MP3, CD, etc., there is much less reason for people to make the effort to go to hear live performances. The day of the touring bands as the only way to hear great music performed well are gone. I have played in some excellent ensembles usually to far less that capacity audiences. I think that unless a performance is linked to some other celebration, the crowds are likely to be disappointing in size. Just think about some of those huge drum corps crowds of old. The American Legion and VFW Nationals were part of conventions and most of the attendees were really there for other reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehillDM Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Again, I'm not talking about the corps membership, I'm talking about audiences. It won't matter how many members you have if there's no one to play for.I would venture to say that this is a problem for most live music ensembles unless you are a group creating Billboard top 40 songs or are in a professional ensemble at the top of your genre. The days when the public had to attend a live performance to hear the tunes they love being played are gone. With the universal availability of professional performances of any kind of music imaginable on the internet, MP3, CD, etc., there is much less reason for people to make the effort to go to hear live performances. The day of the touring bands as the only way to hear great music performed well are gone. I have played in some excellent ensembles usually to far less that capacity audiences. I think that unless a performance is linked to some other celebration, the crowds are likely to be disappointing in size. Just think about some of those huge drum corps crowds of old. The American Legion and VFW Nationals were part of conventions and most of the attendees were really there for other reasons. Great point! This is especially true with many big band, and jazz ensembles...and it's a shame. There are some incredibly talented musicians playing to consistently smaller audiences, just like our beloved activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Younger alumni corps members "should" attract a younger audience. Don't the two go hand in hand? This is true for DCI Shows, and there is a much younger average age within the ranks of DCA than say, 20-25 years ago. IMO Jim, younger audiences will be attracted by more modern styles of shows. But, fewer corps left also hurts to draw younger bodies. Look at around here....Reading is all that's left, and well Cadets, but many people still think of them from NJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzgok Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 And the word "Alumni" just sounds like you have to have been a member of the competing corps to be allowed to join. Some "alumni" corps allow people with no corps experience to march but the name is saying the exact opposite. That can be cleaned up at a standstill when you have a field announcement, but there ain't no field announcements in parades.Yeah... that's getting to be my soapbox issue... Jim, I know there was a thread about the use of the word "alumni" since some of the corps, Westshore included, have people in the organization that did not march with that corps. I personally don't see anything wrong with it since it allows the corps to continue to perform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Jim, I know there was a thread about the use of the word "alumni" since some of the corps, Westshore included, have people in the organization that did not march with that corps. I personally don't see anything wrong with it since it allows the corps to continue to perform. LOL, think I know which one you mean My only problem with using "Alumni" is it might hurt recruiting people who are not that knowledgible about the corps. Personally when I first saw the Lancers (2002) it was ten years since I last followed drum corps and first I thought they were ex-members only. Then the field announcer gave the age range of teen age to 70s. Since happened to know when the corps had last competed (1983 or 1984) I realized that either the corps had non-competing members or some folks competed wearing diapers. Know of two corps who have dropped the "Alumni" tag because of the recruiting side of things (Erie and forget the other). Gee did Westshore have some non ex-members out there the other night? Kidding.... since I started when the corps was at possibly it's lowest point ever it's a kick for me to see which "Friends of Westshore" show up every year. Will miss that if SoB goes away.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzgok Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 I know if SiB goes away, I'm gonna miss my "front row seat" for the screamers that come to play with Westshore. You know the guys I'm talking about. I love being right there. I don't have an issue with people that did not march with Westshore coming out and helping as it helps to keep the corps alive. It's also a great way to meet new friends as well!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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