Serenade in Brass

[cin4057]

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.

Have you seen how much it costs to get into a show lately? Especially a DCI contest. It's no wonder attendance is down!

The stands were filled back in the day. Now a days you the averge joe cant afford to take his family to such an event unless he takes out a second morgage!

LOL

I've been helping out a local D&B. Mostly underprivileged kids. There is no way they can afford to get these kids into a DCI contest, because of the outragious cost. Even the group rate is $20. a ticket.

The only way I can show them is by internet. These kids will never know the thrill that I did at their age. It's so sad.

[JimF-LowBari]

Agree with Cindy on cost of tickets hurting attendance and local support. Hades, even didn't go to a couple of local shows myself because the price was more than what was worth to me.

As to the SiB itself it just seems like since I've come back a few corps just try to out volume the others. Know we had a bit of that in the past but just seems to be worse now. Know of a few people who won't accept even free tickets because it's "just too #### loud". And when non-DC people standing in the hallway (IOW not in the concert area) are complaining that the corps on stage is just too loud "even out here" maybe we better reconsider what's going on.

My wife and I heard that comment because it was our "bathroom break" group and this group was picked because of the volume.

Edited April 24, 2010 by JimF-LowBari

[Gary Matczak]

Agree with Cindy on cost of tickets hurting attendance and local support. Hades, even didn't go to a couple of local shows myself because the price was more than what was worth to me.

As to the SiB itself it just seems like since I've come back a few corps just try to out volume the others. Know we had a bit of that in the past but just seems to be worse now. Know of a few people who won't accept even free tickets because it's "just too #### loud". And when non-DC people standing in the hallway (IOW not in the concert area) are complaining that the corps on stage is just too loud "even out here" maybe we better reconsider what's going on.

My wife and I heard that comment because it was our "bathroom break" group and this group was picked because of the volume.

Hey Jim, I've wanted to post this for a while, just didn't have the stones to,...................go you!

[schomburgr]

LOL- not everything that happened on 2 stayed there, Scott. Some of it was so ludicrous word got out. Ricky Lee and the can of Shaving Cream, for example. And that's at least moderately tame...

Ha... Tom Tame :) NOT !!!!!!

Bus 2..... we slept the whole way to a show and back trust me :)

[buzzgok]

Ha... Tom Tame :) NOT !!!!!!

Bus 2..... we slept the whole way to a show and back trust me :)

I remember one of the drummers fell asleep and woke up with a face full of make up.

[BigW]

We've been trying to keep the db level within reason with Westshore Alumni- hope we're not the ones rocking too many boats. We know the Forum is chock full of reverb. I'm playing at 70 percent in there myself. Lord help us if I opened up all the way. Gads, it would be awesomely disgusting.

Well, what's happened with DCI is that they've gone to fewer contests in better venues and upped the price. I think as a side effect it's forced out a lot of the old fans. Many wonder if it's deliberate because they're the ones that bicker the most because they might know better about certain things and are, well, pickier about what they like and what they do not like.

Problem is everyone does need to make money. Fuel costs are pushing tour budgets. The judges need paid. The contest host might want to pocket something for their non-profit organization (usually it is one) for their time and effort.

Unsure what all the solutions are. I'm not paid to fix things. Some organizations may think they have fixed things by doing what they do right now. All I know is that I like getting together once a year to play for people and make them happy and hang out with some great friends for a bit.

And... well... if you compare blowing out a fresh can of shaving cream all over a bus floor to see how much was in the can to some of the other stuff, Rick, on the back of the judge's sheet, that rated as somewhere around mid-box-2 tame in the Rickie Lee outrageousness rubrics.

Pretty fascinating it created about a 5 foot diameter puddle by all accounts. I'd also imagine it made bus 2 smell better, too. You used Noxema or Barbasol if my memory serves right from walking near the Bus 2 door and simply breathing.

Trying to think of the Box 5 stuff now. If I do think of it, how much can I actually put on DCP?

[buzzgok]

Have you seen how much it costs to get into a show lately? Especially a DCI contest. It's no wonder attendance is down!

The stands were filled back in the day. Now a days you the averge joe cant afford to take his family to such an event unless he takes out a second morgage!

LOL

I've been helping out a local D&B. Mostly underprivileged kids. There is no way they can afford to get these kids into a DCI contest, because of the outragious cost. Even the group rate is $20. a ticket.

The only way I can show them is by internet. These kids will never know the thrill that I did at their age. It's so sad.

The issue I have with DCI pricing tickets, is the premium ticket price. If you want to sit in between the 40 yard lines, be prepared to pay anywhere from $10 a ticket more than the regular reserved seats or more. I think this pricing is wrong and I firmly believe this is another reason people are not going to shows. Not to mention, the older diehard fans will not take to the electronics in drum corps. I know this issue has been beaten all around and there are young ones who will claim it enhances the show, I respectfully disagree. This does affect outdoor shows.

As far as indoor shows go, particularly Serenade in Brass, I don't recall ticket prices being hiked up. Eighteen dollars for a full night of entertainment is really not that bad. To go to a movie and buy snacks will cost you more than that and only lasts on the average 98 minutes.

[BigW]

True, Scott, SiB is a veritable Buffet spread of a lot of history, talent, and musical ideas from a very rich activity. It's great value for the money. Those who would disagree haven't hit a movie, gone to a museum, Amusement Park, sporting event or concert recently and shelled out the shekels to get in.

And as many others here have said, it's the best way to get your appetite whetted for the Summer.

Speaking of history, I had to do a bit of a Drum Corps History lesson at a KKY Almuni event and tell a young lady there that yes- there WERE all-girl corps active that were quite good back in the day, especially the Ventures.

I now feel like some walking Rosetta Stone now when the people that were my age when I marched start asking stuff. I'm happy I met the people I met when I marched , asked questions, and learned stuff from them about the history of the activity and saw some of those people in full-tilt action. To know where we came from is a very impprtant thing when one tries to understand what's happening now, I think.

And as for electronics, Scott--- I think they'll kill themselves. I've given it some thought, I watched and listened to the 2009 Holy Name video and thought hard about it.

The expense to buy and maintain that stuff has to be serious. Could I spend that money in a better way to further the strength and well-being of my corps? I'd bet yes. Take that money and provide better meals for my corps on tour, for example? I'd rather have a better-fed bunch of people that play and march their butts off and have better morale without the electronics.

My guess is that to really make it work, one would have to do a run-through and careful sound check in the venue before every contest to properly set a board. Will that happen? Should that happen??? Hmm... Otherwise the addition of the amplification, etc etc ends up sounding really cheap as compared to the program that's not amped. It doesn't blend well acoustically if you're not careful. And I think when it doesn't sound seamless, it cheapens the effect impacts.

Also, just wait until someone has the system crash. It's prolly happened before in DCI and I just don't know about it. I saw this happen in an ACC contest right in front of my eyes. Keyboards and amps went dead, the girl got frustrated and yelled to her director- in the middle of the *championship* performance in anguish- "It's not working!", the poor director tried to dig himself a hole in the bleachers, several thousand people in the stands groaned... is it worth rolling the dice on expensive sound equipment blowing up in competition? I'm not a dice roller myself. I'd rather roll my dice on traning my people to perform well and have more control over things like that.

If people say this doesnt happen...

Watch this at 6'07", BoA Super-Regionals, this band was 4th at Supers, they WON Regionals, and were Second at nationals when everything worked. If you tell anyone in our activity you've got a 67 percent chance of something going right in a show... Well... enough said. And this isn't some fly-by-night organization winging it, either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVIzlQ8soUE

I like this show a lot- but does this belong in corps? Nah. We don't need it. BoA is cool, but this is one thing that's just not a good bleed-over concept.

Anyhow, sorry for digressing- but since a couple of peeps brought some of this up, I thought about what they said very seriously and just wanted to answer them thoughtfully- something that they deserved.

[Gary Matczak]

True, Scott, SiB is a veritable Buffet spread of a lot of history, talent, and musical ideas from a very rich activity. It's great value for the money. Those who would disagree haven't hit a movie, gone to a museum, Amusement Park, sporting event or concert recently and shelled out the shekels to get in.

And as many others here have said, it's the best way to get your appetite whetted for the Summer.

Speaking of history, I had to do a bit of a Drum Corps History lesson at a KKY Almuni event and tell a young lady there that yes- there WERE all-girl corps active that were quite good back in the day, especially the Ventures.

I now feel like some walking Rosetta Stone now when the people that were my age when I marched start asking stuff. I'm happy I met the people I met when I marched , asked questions, and learned stuff from them about the history of the activity and saw some of those people in full-tilt action. To know where we came from is a very impprtant thing when one tries to understand what's happening now, I think.

And as for electronics, Scott--- I think they'll kill themselves. I've given it some thought, I watched and listened to the 2009 Holy Name video and thought hard about it.

The expense to buy and maintain that stuff has to be serious. Could I spend that money in a better way to further the strength and well-being of my corps? I'd bet yes. Take that money and provide better meals for my corps on tour, for example? I'd rather have a better-fed bunch of people that play and march their butts off and have better morale without the electronics.

My guess is that to really make it work, one would have to do a run-through and careful sound check in the venue before every contest to properly set a board. Will that happen? Should that happen??? Hmm... Otherwise the addition of the amplification, etc etc ends up sounding really cheap as compared to the program that's not amped. It doesn't blend well acoustically if you're not careful. And I think when it doesn't sound seamless, it cheapens the effect impacts.

Also, just wait until someone has the system crash. It's prolly happened before in DCI and I just don't know about it. I saw this happen in an ACC contest right in front of my eyes. Keyboards and amps went dead, the girl got frustrated and yelled to her director- in the middle of the *championship* performance in anguish- "It's not working!", the poor director tried to dig himself a hole in the bleachers, several thousand people in the stands groaned... is it worth rolling the dice on expensive sound equipment blowing up in competition? I'm not a dice roller myself. I'd rather roll my dice on traning my people to perform well and have more control over things like that.

If people say this doesnt happen...

Watch this at 6'07", BoA Super-Regionals, this band was 4th at Supers, they WON Regionals, and were Second at nationals when everything worked. If you tell anyone in our activity you've got a 67 percent chance of something going right in a show... Well... enough said. And this isn't some fly-by-night organization winging it, either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVIzlQ8soUE

I like this show a lot- but does this belong in corps? Nah. We don't need it. BoA is cool, but this is one thing that's just not a good bleed-over concept.

Anyhow, sorry for digressing- but since a couple of peeps brought some of this up, I thought about what they said very seriously and just wanted to answer them thoughtfully- something that they deserved.

WOW, what a great post,..............well said,............

We sponsor a show here in Erie, last summer Hopkin's corps PA system crashed, the corps stood at attension for over 5 minutes I'd guess, while the sound guy tried to reboot the system,.................longest spot of complete silence i've ever seen at ashow, with a lot of snickering happening in the stands, and even a couple heckling type of comments tossed out like,......................"the sound guy sucks"

Edited April 26, 2010 by Gary Matczak

[BigW]

Cadets/Hoppy hate hecklers, most of them come out in droves for them in particular noawadays. I know I heckled them when they did the "ABC's of Modern Music " show at East prelims- that's another story for another place LOL. it was well deserved. That part of the show was re-choreographed between East and Championships, for good reasons.

I can't think of any other corps that's attracted the old-schooler's ire to the degree they have. Sad. There are times where they've been well-loved. Always very extreme.

The one thing I will say concerning the old school drum corps hecklers- if they *like* you, you will find no better fans. They're the ones jumping up and down on the bleachers like they're trampolines screaming like maniacs for you. From my observations, Phantom knows who those guys are at Allentown because they're lighting up the crowd for them.

You'd think that kind of issue would cause people to balk at using the equipment. Were they penalized?

With DCI as tight as it is at the top, is it worth a risk of penalties?

I know valve slides and mouthpieces can pop loose, sticks can break, etc. but usually those things aren't as cosmic a problem.

Gary- were you with Erie in '93 when your Mimi-Corps was up at Scranton and won? Curious. I have good a story about that, too.